Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pathology for August 2014. 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.
Report Highlights Progress, Challenges in Health IT
FRIDAY, Aug. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Progress has been made toward widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), although there are still barriers to adoption of advanced use of EHRs, according to a report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Gene Research Yields Insights Into Ebola Virus
FRIDAY, Aug. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic research performed during the early days of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has given scientists unprecedented insight into how the virus mutates and spreads.
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Ebola Outbreak Could Infect 20,000 People, U.N. Says
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The deadly Ebola outbreak hitting four West African nations could eventually infect more than 20,000 people, the World Health Organization announced Thursday.
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AMGA: Physician Turnover Still High in 2013
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For the second year running, physician turnover remains at the highest rate since 2005, according to a report published by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA).
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CSF Biomarkers ID Alzheimer's, Independent of APOE Genotype
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD), particularly β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42), are strongly associated with AD diagnosis, independent of APOE genotype, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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Molecular Method Classifies Patients With Polycythemia Vera
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with polycythemia vera can be classified according to disease behavior, independently of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F allele burden, after removing sex as a potential confounder, according to a study published in the Aug. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Guidelines Presented for Diagnosing Focal Liver Lesions
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Focal liver lesions (FLLs) are mostly benign, and can be diagnosed based on knowledge of their presentation, associated clinical and laboratory features, and natural history, according to clinical guidelines published online Aug. 19 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
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Clinical Resolution of Stiff Person Syndrome With Auto-HSCT
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with stiff person syndrome (SPS), autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) can induce prolonged clinical remission, according to a case report published online Aug. 25 in JAMA Neurology.
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CDC Director: Ebola has 'Upper Hand' in Outbreak
TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- While officials and health experts have the means to prevent Ebola from spreading, the deadly virus currently has the "upper hand" in an outbreak that has killed more than 1,400 people in West Africa, according to the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health Highlights: Aug. 26, 2014
Hospitals Should Follow CDC Recommendations for Ebola Care
TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital and health care providers should follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for care of patients with Ebola, according to an ideas and opinions piece published online Aug. 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Vitamin D Deficiency Worsens Outcomes With B-Cell Lymphoma
TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) contributes to worse outcomes in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with rituximab, according to a study published online Aug. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Restrictive, Non-Solicitation Covenants Are Valid
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Restrictive and non-solicitation covenants are valid and can be enforced, according to an article published Aug. 5 in Medical Economics.
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No Link Found Between Diverticular Disease, Cancer
MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Colonic diverticular disease does not appear to be linked to an increased risk of subsequent colorectal cancer (CRC), according to research published in the August issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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FDA: New Test Helps Diagnose Type 1 Diabetes
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new test that may help doctors diagnose type 1 diabetes. The Kronus ZnT8Ab Elisa Assay may help some people with type 1 diabetes receive faster diagnosis and treatment, the FDA said in a news release.
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New Therapy May Combat Lethal Virus in Late Stages
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new agent tested in nonhuman primates shows efficacy in the treatment of the Marburg virus (MARV), a filovirus which is closely related to the Ebola virus, even in the late stages of the infection, according to research published in the Aug. 20 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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Clinicopathology of High-Mitotic Rate Melanoma Described
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- High-mitotic-rate primary cutaneous melanomas more often occur on the head and neck and in men, older patients, and those with a history of solar keratosis, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in JAMA Dermatology.
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Organized Processes Help Practices Hire Well
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A defined process is necessary to help physicians hire the right staff for their practice, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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Uranium Exposure Tied to Lupus
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- High uranium exposure is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published online Aug. 7 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Screening Programs Identify SCID in One in 58,000 Infants
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Newborn screening programs in the United States have identified severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in one in 58,000, with high survival seen in SCID-affected infants, according to a study published in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Docs Must Consider Liability When Ordering Screening Tests
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians and health care providers must be aware of their potential liability when ordering screening tests, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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Boxed Warnings Are Common in Novel Therapeutics
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Boxed warnings are common on recent drug approvals, and many occur years after approval, according to a research letter published online Aug. 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Liberia Ebola Clinic Attack Could Harm Efforts to Control Outbreak
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An attack on an Ebola quarantine center in Liberia's capital and the possible disappearance of a number of patients could be a major setback in efforts to contain and halt the outbreak of the deadly disease.
Health Highlights: Aug. 18, 2014
Early Research With Drug Restores Hair in Alopecia
MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A drug used to treat a rare type of bone marrow cancer restores hair in patients with alopecia areata, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in Nature Medicine.
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Gene ID'd Which Regulates Nerve Conduction Velocity
FRIDAY, Aug. 154, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A novel gene has been identified as having a regulatory role in nerve conduction velocity, according to an experimental study published online Aug. 12 in The Journal of Pathology.
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Peptide Deficiency May Contribute to Male Infertility
THURSDAY, Aug. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Low levels of human β-defensin 1 (DEFB1) in sperm may explain some of the common causes of male infertility, according to research published in the Aug. 13 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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Viral Infections in 14 Kansas City-Area Infants Under Investigation
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Similar viral infections among 14 infants in the Kansas City area are being investigated by health officials. The infections were caused by HPeV3, a virus that can cause meningitis and other inflammation. No deaths have occurred, but all of the infants have been hospitalized, CBS News/Associated Press reported.
Health Highlights: Aug. 13, 2014
Research Offers Clues to How Ebola Disarms Immune System
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've discovered how the deadly Ebola virus disables the immune system. They hope the findings will prove valuable in efforts to find treatments for the disease taking hundreds of lives in Africa. The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa has killed more than 1,000 people, and the death rate among those infected with the virus is up to 90 percent, according to the World Health Organization.
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40-Year-Old Man With Absence of ApoE Has Normal Cognition
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The identification of a patient with a rare form of severe dysbetalipoproteinemia will allow the study of the consequences of total absence of apolipoprotein E (apoE), according to research published online Aug. 11 in JAMA Neurology.
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Meta-Analysis Strategy Impacts Estimation of Tx Outcome
TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Estimation of treatment outcome varies with the meta-analysis strategy, according to a study published in the Aug. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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FDA: New Colorectal Cancer Screening Test Approved
TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A screening test for colorectal cancer that can detect red blood cells and abnormal DNA in a person's stool has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Once-Only Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Screening Cuts Colorectal Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Once-only flexible sigmoidoscopy screening, with or without fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), is associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, according to a study published in the Aug. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Review: Troponin Has Prognostic Value in CKD Without ACS
MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) without suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS), troponin levels may have prognostic and diagnostic value, according to two reviews published online Aug. 12 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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EHR Adoption Increasing, But Stage 2 Criteria Often Not Met
MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most U.S. hospitals and office-based physicians have adopted electronic health records (EHR), according to two studies published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
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Previously Unrecognized Trends in Lung Cancer Identified
MONDAY, Aug. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An updated and expanded analysis has revealed some new observations about patterns in lung cancer incidence in the United States, according to research published online Aug. 11 in Cancer.
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Issues to Consider With Integration of Telemedicine
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Integrating telemedicine raises various considerations, including operational and legal issues, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a 'Public Health Emergency'
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The World Health Organization on Friday declared the outbreak of deadly Ebola virus in West Africa a "public health emergency."
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CDC Raises Ebola Outbreak Response to Highest Alert
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday raised the level of its response to the West African Ebola outbreak to its highest alert status, and CDC is offering resources for clinicians on Ebola virus disease management.
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FAQ: Management of Patients With EVD in U.S. Hospitals
VA Health Care Reform Bill Signed Into Law
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A bill signed into law Thursday by President Barack Obama is meant to provide veterans with easier access to government-paid health care.
Health Highlights: Aug. 7, 2014
CDC: Millions Given Access to Breast, Cervical CA Screening
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of American women have benefited from a breast and cervical cancer screening program offered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a new report. The report was published online and in an Aug. 15 supplement edition of the journal Cancer. The report features 13 new studies evaluating numerous features of the screening program.
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Gut Microbiome Analysis Aids Colorectal Cancer Screening
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Analysis of the gut microbiome can better distinguish healthy individuals from those with precancerous adenomatous polyps and those with invasive colorectal cancer, compared to use of traditional clinical risk factors and fecal occult blood testing, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in Cancer Prevention Research.
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Study Confirms Lasting Drop in Prostate Cancer Death With PSA
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is associated with a lasting reduction in prostate cancer mortality, with increased effect at 13 years compared with nine or 11 years, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in The Lancet.
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Researchers Closer to Test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Two newly developed tests -- one using a urine sample, the other nasal brushings -- seem to reliably detect Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), according to separate reports published in the Aug. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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HIV Infection Linked to Lower Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- HIV infection is associated with a significantly decreased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
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New Mutations Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in PALB2 and germline mutations in the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) tumor-suppressor gene causing MEN1 correlate with increased breast cancer risk, according to two studies published in the Aug. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Insulin Sensitivity Is Key Renal Marker in Youth With T2DM
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Among adolescents with type 2 diabetes, insulin sensitivity is an important marker of renal health, according to research published online July 28 in Diabetes Care.
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Variants ID'd in Phenytoin-Related Adverse Skin Reactions
TUESDAY, Aug. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- CYP2C variants have been identified as being involved in phenytoin-related severe cutaneous adverse reactions, according to a study published in the Aug. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Statin Use After CRC Diagnosis Reduces Mortality Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer, statin use is associated with reduced cancer-specific mortality risk, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Hepatitis C Could Become Rare Disease in 20 Years
MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials estimate that over three million Americans currently have chronic hepatitis C -- most of whom don't know it because the infection usually causes no symptoms. But with recent treatment advances, hepatitis C could become rare by 2036, researchers report in the Aug. 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Many Physicians Have Secondary Income
MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians report earning income from sources other than their primary practice/employer, according to an article published July 24 in Medical Economics.
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Optimal Red Blood Cell Folate Level About 1,000 nmol/L
MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The optimal population red blood cell folate level for prevention of neural tube defects could be defined as approximately 1,000 nmol/L, according to research published online July 29 in BMJ.
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Florida Officials Issue Warning on Vibrio Bacteria
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Florida health officials are cautioning visitors to the state's beaches about the threat of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria in warm seawater this summer.
Health Highlights: July 31, 2014
Each Chronic Condition Further Reduces Life Expectancy
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Each additional chronic condition among older people diminishes life expectancy, according to a study published in the August issue of Medical Care.
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