News for Health Professionals

Reasons for Undergoing Cosmetic Procedures Explored

Posted today in News for Health Professionals

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- As well as enhancing physical appearance, patients seek cosmetic procedures for emotional and psychosocial reasons, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in JAMA Dermatology. Amanda Maisel, from Northwestern University in Chicago, and colleagues conducted a prospective study to estimate the relative importance of factors that motivate patients to seek minimally... Read more

DNR Orders Linked to Increased Mortality in Older Adults

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- For hospitalized older patients, the presence of a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order is associated with poor short-term clinical outcomes, including mortality, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Karishma Patel, M.D., from Northwell Health in Manhasset, N.Y., and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study with... Read more

Health Professionals Have Role in Warning About Impaired Driving

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Physicians, pharmacists, and public health officials play an important role in educating individuals about the risks of impaired driving caused by marijuana or opioids, according to a report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) funded by the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. Among drug-tested, fatally injured drivers in 2016, 38 percent... Read more

Talazoparib Beneficial in Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Single-agent talazoparib provides significant benefit over standard chemotherapy for patients with advanced breast cancer and germline BRCA1/2 mutation, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Jennifer K. Litton, M.D., from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and colleagues conducted a randomized... Read more

Ancient Gene Protects Elephants From Cancer

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- An ancient gene that protects elephants against cancer has been pinpointed and could lead to new ways to treat cancer in people, according to research published in the Aug. 14 issue of Cell Reports. The LIF6 gene destroys cells with damaged DNA, something that can trigger cancer, The New York Times reported. The findings "might tell us something fundamental about... Read more

Primary Care Provider Burnout Rate Low in Small Practices

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Provider-reported rates of burnout may be lower in small independent primary care practices than in larger practices, according to a study published in the July-August issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Batel Blechter, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues analyzed data collected from 235 providers practicing in 174... Read more

Integration of Opioid, Infectious Disease Treatment Needed

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Steps should be taken to integrate treatment at the intersection of opioid use disorder (OUD) and related HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infectious disease epidemics, according to an Ideas and Opinion piece published online July 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The article was published to coincide with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and... Read more

HPV Legislation Doesn't Impact Teen Sexual Behaviors

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Implementation of state legislation relating to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is not associated with changes in adolescent sexual behaviors, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in Pediatrics. Erin E. Cook, M.P.H., Sc.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues conducted a difference-in-difference study using data... Read more

Broad Genetic Testing for NSCLC May Not Improve Survival

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Broad-based genomic sequencing does not improve survival compared to routine genetic testing among patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published in the Aug. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Carolyn J. Presley, M.D., from The Ohio State University in Columbus, and colleagues compared clinical... Read more

Rate of Pediatric Emergencies in Ambulatory Practices Identified

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- The rate of pediatric emergency medical services (EMS) transports from ambulatory practices is 42 per 100,000 children per year, according to a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics. Matthew L. Yuknis, M.D., from Indiana University in Indianapolis, and colleagues examined pediatric EMS runs originating from ambulatory practices in the greater Indianapolis... Read more

Labetalol Use Up for Patients With Preeclampsia and Asthma

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Higher rates of β-blocker use are seen among women with preeclampsia and asthma, according to a study published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Whitney A. Booker, M.D., from Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues examined whether the diagnosis of asthma correlated with the use of uterotonic and antihypertensive medications for women ... Read more

cfDNA Screening First for Trisomy 21 Doesn't Cut Miscarriage Rate

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Offering cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening followed by invasive testing in the case of positive results does not result in a significant reduction in miscarriage among women with pregnancies at high risk of trisomy 21, according to a study published in the Aug. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Valérie Malan, M.D., Ph.D., from the Hôpital N... Read more

Trends in HIV/AIDS Have Worsened in African-Americans

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Recommendations have been developed for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African-American community; the recommendations are presented in an article published in the June issue of the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Noting that African-Americans comprise close to half of the total reported HIV/AIDS cases in the United States, while representing... Read more

Many Americans Not Being Assessed for Depression

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Many Americans aged 35 and older are not being assessed for depression, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Elisabeth Kato, M.D., from the Agedncy for Healthcare Research and Quality in Rockville, Md., and colleagues used a nationally representative survey to evaluate whether adults aged 35+ were being... Read more

Marijuana May Improve Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer

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WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- For patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer (HNC), quality of life may improve with marijuana use, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Han Zhang, M.D., from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study involving patients enrolled at the time of HNC diagnosis.... Read more

Most Postmenopausal Bleeding Not Associated With Cancer

Posted yesterday in News for Health Professionals

TUESDAY, Aug. 14, 2018 -- Most women with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) will not be diagnosed with endometrial cancer, according to a review published online Aug. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Megan A. Clarke, Ph.D., from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Md., and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to provide a reference of the prevalence of PMB in... Read more

TBI Linked to Increased Suicide Risk

Posted yesterday in News for Health Professionals

TUESDAY, Aug. 14, 2018 -- Individuals with medical contact for traumatic brain injury (TBI) have increased risk of suicide, according to a study published in the Aug. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Trine Madsen, Ph.D., from the Mental Health Centre Copenhagen in Denmark, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study using nationwide registers covering... Read more

Triple Combo Blood Pressure Pill Can Improve BP Control

Posted yesterday in News for Health Professionals

TUESDAY, Aug. 14, 2018 -- Treatment with a pill combining low doses of three antihypertensive drugs results in an increased proportion of patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension achieving their target blood pressure (BP), according to a study published in the Aug. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Ruth Webster, Ph.D., from the University of New South Wales in... Read more

AMA Adopts New Policy on Housing for Homeless

Posted yesterday in News for Health Professionals

TUESDAY, Aug. 14, 2018 -- The American Medical Association (AMA) calls for stable, affordable housing, without mandated therapy or service compliance, in order to improve housing stability and quality of life among individuals who are chronically homeless. According to the 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, more than 550,000 people experience homelessness each night in the United... Read more

Zika, West Nile Cases Reported in Alabama

Posted yesterday in News for Health Professionals

TUESDAY, Aug. 14, 2018 -- Multiple reports of Zika virus and West Nile virus are being investigated by Alabama health officials. People can get Zika virus from mosquito bites, sex, and blood transfusions, and a pregnant woman can pass it to her baby, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. West Nile is spread by mosquitoes. Most people who are infected have mild or no... Read more

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