Catheter Ablation Tops Drug Therapy for A-Fib in Heart Failure
Meta-analysis shows 6.95 percent increase in LVEF with ablation
Incidence of End-Stage Kidney Disease Up in Australia
Incidence increased for nonindigenous people with type 2 diabetes; greatest increase for under 50s, over 80s
Nurse-Led Program in Primary Care Can Up Detection of Liver Dz
More incident cases identified in intervention arm with nurse-led primary care-based liver clinics
Risk for Breast Cancer Increased With False-Positive Screening Result
Increased risk for screen-detected and interval breast cancer persists for 12 years after false-positive result
Pregnancy Complications Up for Women Born at Low Birth Weight
Risk greatest for women born with birth weight <2,500 g who develop overweight/obesity
Toll on Health From Depression, Anxiety Akin to Smoking, Obesity
For older adults, effect of anxiety, depression on physical health similar to that of obesity, smoking
Many EDs Do Not Have Pediatric Area, Emergency Care Coordinator
Other studies detail concerns about pediatric telemedicine use, grassroots intervention to up PECC use
Obese Patients Exposed to Higher Radiation Doses for X-Rays
Higher dose area product seen for patients with obesity undergoing projection radiography
Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Linked to Chronic Kidney Disease Risk
Odds of CKD up with beverage pattern consisting of higher intake of sweetened soda, fruit drinks, water
High Sodium Intake Associated With New Atrial Fibrillation
Cumulative proportional probability for AF events greatest for those in the highest quartile of salt intake
New Guidelines Address Care for Malignant Pleural Effusions
Recs call for ultrasounds, advise against therapeutic pleural interventions in asymptomatic patients
Second-Line Antidiabetic Meds May Impact Cardiovascular Risk
Cardiovascular risk increased with sulfonylureas and basal insulin versus newer classes of ADM
Effect Sizes Uncertain for Meds Versus Placebo in Knee OA
Meta-analysis: large uncertainty versus placebo for all medications for pain relief
ACOG Updates Guidelines for Gestational HTN, Preeclampsia
Second bulletin provides recommendations for management of chronic hypertension in pregnancy
Many Veterans Oppose Cessation of Colorectal Cancer Screening
More than one-quarter of those surveyed not comfortable with stopping low-value screening
Delayed School Start Shows Benefits for Teens
Longer sleep time tied to better grades, some improvements in attendance
Review Highlights Lack of Tx Options for Prurigo Nodularis
Researchers call for more randomized controlled trials to investigate systemic treatments
Having Children Tied to Higher Risk for Cardiovascular Disease
Significant link identified, with nonlinear J-shaped dose-response relationship for increasing parity
Low Vitamin D Tied to Risk for Renal Hyperfiltration in Healthy Adults
Severe deficiency linked to increased prevalence of RHF in population with normal renal function
More Americans Reporting Less Than Six Hours Sleep Per Night
The number of Hispanics, blacks getting short sleep is growing at a fast rate
Opioid Prescribing Patterns Vary for Pediatric Patients
Geographic region, race, age, payment method associated with differences in opioid prescribing
Elevated Risk for Lung CA in Lung Transplant Recipients Explored
13-fold increased risk found in native lung for those receiving single lung transplant
Universal Vaccination for MenB at College Entry Not Cost-Effective
Incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained $13.8 million under societal perspective
Oculomotor Response to Head Impacts Studied in Youth Football
Near point of convergence measured in players during a single high school football season
Health Care Screening Practices Impact Skin Cancer Diagnosis
Likelihood of being diagnosed with skin cancer increased for those undergoing health care screening
Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages
Shortages associated with modest increases in price, ranging from 6 to 14 percent
Dancing Tied to Lower Odds of Disability in Activities of Daily Living
For older women, dancing -- but not other exercise types -- linked to lower risk for ADL disability
30-Day Postdischarge Mortality Up With HRRP Implementation
Increase in 30-day postdischarge mortality after hospitalization for heart failure, pneumonia, not AMI
Targeted Muscle Reinnervation Can Reduce Phantom Limb Pain
Authors report reduction in pain and no symptomatic neuromas in 22 below-the-knee amputees
More Than Two-Thirds of Drug OD Deaths in 2017 Involved Opioids
Significant increases seen in death rates involving synthetic opioids in 15 of 20 states from 2013 to 2017
ASH Develops Practice Guidelines for Venous Thromboembolism
Clinical practice guidelines presented for diagnosis, treatment, pediatric and pregnancy-linked VTE
New BP Treatment Cutoffs May Not Yield Survival Benefit
Survival benefit not seen with Stage 1 hypertension, only high-risk Stage 2 hypertension
Pediatric Asthma Risk Score Has Good Sensitivity, Specificity
PARS has improved ability over API for predicting asthma in children with mild-to-moderate risk
Home Oxygen Users Experience Problems Related to Equipment
Health care providers report lack of readily accessible resources for prescription of oxygen systems
Massage Offers Short-Term Relief of Knee Pain in Arthritis Patients
Findings among patients with knee osteoarthritis; long-term benefit unclear
Malnutrition Ups Risk of Postop Issues in Pediatric Crohn Disease
In propensity-matched analysis, mild, severe malnutrition linked to elevated odds of complications
ACOG: Interpregnancy Period Should Maximize Women’s Health
Components of postpartum care should be included as the initial components of interpregnancy care
New AAP Guideline Available for Infantile Hemangioma Treatment
Early intervention and/or referral recommended for potentially problematic infantile hemangiomas
Risk of Arterial Thromboembolic Events Up Prior to Cancer Diagnosis
In seniors, risk of arterial thromboembolic events peaked in the 30 days immediately before diagnosis
Most Nurses Unsatisfied With Hospitals’ End-of-Life Care
The nurse practice environment was the best predictor of poor-quality end-of-life care
Appalachia, Western States Have Highest Hep C Prevalence
Nine states account for more than 50 percent of all hepatitis C virus infections
Complications, Costs Up With Cardiac Sx in Opioid Use Disorder
No increased risk of mortality, but increase in incidence of major complications
Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries
Overall mean salary gap by gender decreased from −2.6 to −1.9 percent after a decade
Updated Guidelines Developed for Diagnosing, Treating Influenza
Rapid molecular assays should be used to improve diagnosis; antivirals should begin as soon as possible
Study IDs Risk Factors for Violent Sleep Disorder
Authors say factors that reduce risk of disorder are important, given its link to other neuro disorders
Exome Sequencing Provides Genetic Diagnosis for Some With CKD
Genetic diagnosis for 9.3 percent of 3,315 patients with chronic kidney disease from two cohorts
Drug Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis Up 2007 to 2017
More than 12-fold increase in DUA-IE hospitalizations and valve surgeries during 2007 to 2017
Fecal Occult Blood Test May Improve CRC Outcomes in Some
For men with left-sided tumors, those undergoing screening had lower N, M categories, higher survival
Costs, Expected Weight Loss Impact Bariatric Surgery Choice
Complications, recovery time, other risks less influential in decision making
Vit C for Pregnant Smokers May Improve Newborn Lung Function
Newborn lung function improved as measured by forced expiratory flow at three months of age
EMS Treatment for Possible Heart Attack Varies by Sex
Women less likely to receive aspirin, resuscitation, ambulance transport with lights and siren
HPV Ups Cervical Cancer Risk, Even With No Cellular Signs
HPV-16/18 confers strong future risk, particularly in women younger than 30 years
FDA Approves Drugs for Treatment of Two Rare Blood Diseases
Elzonris approved to treat BPDCN; Ultomiris approved for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Outcomes of Importance ID’d for Peritoneal Dialysis Patients
PD-related infection, mortality, fatigue are highest-ranked outcomes for patients, caregivers
Incident Concussion 5.1 Percent Per Season for Youth Football
Risk increased for youth with depression or history of concussion
CDC: Weight, Waist Size, BMI Increased for Many U.S. Adults
1999-2000 to 2015-2016 saw increase in mean weight, waist circumference, BMI for many subgroups
Mental, Behavior, Developmental Disorders Up With Low-Income
Children in lower- versus higher-income households more often diagnosed with MBDDs
Incorrect Prescribing Alerts Common for Psychotropic Meds
One-third with electronic Rx system that provides alerts believe system provides incorrect warnings
FDA Announces Safety Monitoring Measures for the Essure Device
Measures include having women in the postmarket surveillance study followed for five years, not three
FDA Warns Companies on Unsafe, Unapproved Stem Cell Treatments
Patients contracting deadly infections at clinics offering the unapproved treatments
FDA: Teething Jewelry Linked to at Least One Infant Death
Threats from these products include choking, strangulation, injury to the mouth, infection
FDA: Fluoroquinolones Tied to Heart Vessel Ruptures, Tears
Patients at risk include those with hypertension or certain genetic disorders and the elderly
A-Fib Risk Up for Antidepressant Users, but Higher Before Tx
Antidepressant treatment linked to threefold increased risk during first month; link decreased over year
Evidence on ED Diversion Strategies Inconclusive
But prehospital diversion does not seem to decrease proportion of patients transferred to ED
Endurance Exercise Tied to Anti-Aging at Cellular Level
Effect seen with aerobic endurance and high-intensity training but not resistance training
Age, BMI Predict Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Success
Upper airway stimulation more effective with older age, lower body mass index
Number of People With Dementia Rose Twofold From 1990 to 2016
Overall, 28.8 million disability-adjusted life years due to dementia; 6.4 million attributed to modifiable risks
Infection Control Compliance Not Tied to Knowledge
Rather, home health care nurses' beliefs and perceptions seem to have most impact on compliance
Restrictive, Obstructive Lung Disease Linked to Dementia Risk
Associations seen for both Alzheimer's disease-related dementia and cerebrovascular etiologies
Overlapping Orthopedic Surgery Noninferior for Patient Safety
Reduced odds of perioperative complications seen for overlapping surgery versus nonoverlapping surgery
Hospitalization for Upper GI Bleed Highest With Rivaroxaban
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding hospitalization risk lower for anticoagulant tx with PPI cotherapy
Pembrolizumab Promising for Metastatic Head, Neck SCC
Prolongs survival among patients with recurrent, metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Structured Family-Centered Peds Rounds Improve Patient Safety
Forty percent decrease seen in harmful errors; decrease also in nonpreventable adverse events
Exposure to Metals, Pesticides Tied to CVD in Hispanics/Latinos
Prevalence ratio for any cardiovascular disease was 2.18 for those working with pesticides
Global Lifetime Risk for Stroke About 25 Percent in 2016
Estimated risk from age 25 years onward is 24.9 percent, with geographic variation in risk
Sorafenib for Desmoid Tumors Ups Progression-Free Survival
Two-year progression-free survival rate 81 percent with sorafenib vs. 36 percent with placebo
ADA 2019 Standards of Care Emphasize Patient-Centered Care
Updates include use of SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists for T2DM, CVD; endorsed by ACC
OCT Imaging Needle Can Detect Blood Vessels in Neurosurgery
OCT probe integrated into standard brain biopsy needle IDs vessels with high sensitivity, specificity
Joint Mobilization Plus Exercise Beneficial for Knee Osteoarthritis
At 24 weeks, improvements seen in pain, function for osteoarthritis patients who did patellar mobilization
Shifting Pattern Seen for Primary Care Office Visits
Primary care physician visits down, but visits to nurse practitioners, physician assistants up
Impact of Fructose Varies With Energy Control, Food Source
Harmful effects for sugar-sweetened beverages when excess energy from sugar added to diet
Core Language Skill Stable From Infancy to Adolescence
Consistency in core language skill is stable through childhood in typically, atypically developing children
Risk of Sudden Death in Epilepsy Can Decline Over Time
Those with a low risk for SUDEP generally remain in this categorization during three years of tracking
New BP Goals Could Prevent 3 Million CVD Events Over 10 Years
Maintaining ACC/AHA goals would result in fewer events than current BP levels, prior guideline goals
Targeted Hep C Testing Misses High Number of Cases in Prisons
Findings based on birth cohort, risk-based testing versus opt-out testing in prison system
More People Worldwide Now Know Their HIV Status
However, millions of people still do not know their status and do not have a suppressed viral load
Higher Staffing Linked to Lower C-Section Rates
Findings based on staffing of obstetricians and midwives in France
ASH: High Response to Tx After Checkpoint Blockade in NHL, HL
Immunotherapy boosts later therapy for relapsed, refractory non-Hodgkin, Hodgkin lymphoma
Rare Variants Associated With Interval Breast Cancers
The presence of these variants is also linked to increased risk for death
Prevalence of Ever-Diagnosed ASD 2.79 Percent in U.S. Children
~70 percent of children with current ASD are treated; 20.3 percent receive behavioral tx and meds
Cost-Related Insulin Underuse May Affect One in Four Patients
Patients reporting cost-related underuse more likely to have poor glycemic control
ASH: Ibrutinib Tops Bendamustine + Rituximab for CLL
Improved progression-free survival with ibrutinib for older adults with untreated CLL
CDC: Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases Appear to Have Peaked for 2018
As of Nov. 30, 134 cases of AFM have been confirmed in 33 states
Teva Recalls Two Blood Pressure Medications
Tablets tainted with N-nitrosodiethylamine, a suspected human carcinogen
Results of Pediatric Genomic Epilepsy Tests Often Reclassified
Over 30 percent of pediatric patients with genetic dx, undiagnosed conditions had results reclassified
Several Risk Factors More Strongly Linked to MI in Women
Blood pressure, smoking, type 1 and 2 diabetes linked to higher hazard ratios for women than men
Burnout, Satisfaction Vary With Age, Sex Among Neurologists
Sex does not independently predict burnout, fatigue, overall quality of life after controlling for age
Rotating Night Shift Work, Lifestyle Factors Linked to T2DM
Significant additive interaction identified for night shift work, unhealthy lifestyle for female nurses
Higher Cardiovascular Risk Seen With Psoriatic Arthritis
Risk seems to be increased especially in patients with a high inflammatory burden, late-onset psoriasis
Hypnotherapy Beats Education for Relief of IBS Symptoms
Group, individual hypnotherapy both effective; group hypnotherapy noninferior to individual tx
Care for Chronic Kidney Disease Varies Across VA Facilities
Findings observed for veterans with diabetes and concomitant chronic kidney disease
Increase Seen in Amphetamine, Opioid Use in Pregnant Women
Increase in amphetamine-, opioid-related deliveries disproportionate between rural vs. urban counties
For Teen Girls, Depression May Predict Subsequent Alcohol Use
Depression severity predicts increased likelihood of alcohol use; link for reverse pathway inconsistent
Bone Indices on CT Scan Predict Fracture Risk in Older Adults
Peripheral CT indices address risk for fracture contributed by changes in bone microarchitecture
Presence of Antiphospholipid Antibodies Tied to First-Time MI
With validation, findings may impact management, outcomes of high-risk patients
Limiting Social Media May Improve Psychological Well-Being
Limiting exposure to 30 minutes per day cut loneliness and depression in undergraduates
Family Functioning Does Not Impact Family Dinner, Diet Link
Frequent family dinners tied to higher-quality dietary intake, regardless of level of family functioning
Case Description Can Reliably Define Acute Flaccid Myelitis
Differences between patients with AFM, other diagnoses include asymmetry of weakness