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Best practices guidelines for conducting economic evaluations of health care technologies, so that the information produced is standardized and of high quality and can effectively inform health care decision-making.

8 – Screening for Preeclampsia: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement – JAMA (free)

Evidence Report and Systematic Review: Preeclampsia Screening (free)

Editorial 1: Early Identification of Pregnant Women at Risk for Preeclampsia (free)

Editorial 2: Screening for Preeclampsia and the USPSTF Recommendations (free)

Editorial 3: Preeclampsia and Hypertension – Courting a Long While: Time to Make It Official (free)

“The USPSTF recommends screening for preeclampsia in all pregnant women with blood pressure measurements throughout pregnancy”

9 – Practice guideline summary: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy incidence rates and risk factors: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society (free)

Editorial: Gaining perspective on SUDEP: The new guideline (free)

Commentary: New guideline: Address GTCS frequency to reduce SUDEP risk – Clinical Neurology News (free)

10 – Management of Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Bone Loss (AIBL) in postmenopausal women with hormone sensitive breast cancer: Joint position statement of the IOF, CABS, ECTS, IEG, ESCEO, IMS, and SIOG (free)

News release: New guidance for management of aromatase-inhibitor related bone loss in breast cancer – Internationa Osteoporosis Foundation (free)

Source: Guidelines Issued on Managing Bone Loss Tied to Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy – Physician’s First Watch (free)

Adjuvant Systemic Therapy and Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Stage I to IIIA Completely Resected Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancers

1 May, 2017 | 16:48h | UTC

Adjuvant Systemic Therapy and Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Stage I to IIIA Completely Resected Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancers: American Society of Clinical Oncology/Cancer Care Ontario Clinical Practice Guideline Update – Journal of Clinical Oncology (free)

Tobacco packaging design for reducing tobacco use

28 Apr, 2017 | 16:41h | UTC

Systematic review: Tobacco packaging design for reducing tobacco use – Cochrane Library (link to summary – $ for full-text)

News release: Standardised tobacco packaging: will banning branding cut down smoking? (free)

New evidence finds standardized cigarette packaging may reduce the number of people who smoke.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy incidence rates and risk factors

1 May, 2017 | 16:46h | UTC

Practice guideline summary: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy incidence rates and risk factors: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society (free)

Editorial: Gaining perspective on SUDEP: The new guideline (free)

Commentary: New guideline: Address GTCS frequency to reduce SUDEP risk – Clinical Neurology News (free)

Normal-Weight Central Obesity and Risk for Mortality

28 Apr, 2017 | 16:38h | UTC

Normal-Weight Central Obesity and Risk for Mortality – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Waist circumference stronger predictor of death risk than BMI – Haelio (free) AND Forget Your BMI and Focus on This Measurement Instead – TIME (free) AND Central Obesity Ups Mortality Across BMI Range – Physician’s Briefing (free) AND Central obesity may increase mortality risk from cardiovascular disease – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND People with a normal BMI who carry weight around the middle at greatest risk of death – HealthCanal (free)

Mortality risk during and after opioid substitution treatment

28 Apr, 2017 | 16:36h | UTC

Mortality risk during and after opioid substitution treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies – The BMJ (free)

Editorial: Opioid substitution treatment is linked to reduced risk of death in opioid use disorder – The BMJ (free)

Commentary: Opioid Substitution Therapy Associated with Reduced Mortality – Physician’s First Watch (free)

Opioid substitution treatment seems to be associated with decreased mortality.

Advil, Motrin and other NSAIDs painkillers should be prescription only, Danish study says

28 Apr, 2017 | 16:37h | UTC

Advil, Motrin and other NSAIDs painkillers should be prescription only, Danish study says – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (free) (RT @medpagetodaysee Tweet)

Original article: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use is associated with increased risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a nationwide case–time–control study – European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy (free)

See more commentaries on this study in our March 17 issue, see #5.

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage

27 Apr, 2017 | 16:33h | UTC

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial – The Lancet (free)

Editorial: WOMAN: reducing maternal deaths with tranexamic acid (free)

Commentary: Overlooked Drug Could Save Thousands Of Moms After Childbirth – NPR Goats and Soda (free)

“Tranexamic acid reduced deaths of mothers caused by bleeding after childbirth by 1/3” (RT @LSHTMpress see Tweet)

A better way to care for the dying

28 Apr, 2017 | 16:39h | UTC

A better way to care for the dying – The Economist (a few articles per month are free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)

“How the medical profession is starting to move beyond fighting death to easing it”.

Guidelines For Management Of Dyslipidemia And Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease

27 Apr, 2017 | 16:29h | UTC

Guidelines For Management Of Dyslipidemia And Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease – American Association Of Clinical Endocrinologists And American College Of Endocrinology (free PDF) (RT @greg_folkers)

Thu, Apr 27 – 10 Medical Stories of The Day!

27 Apr, 2017 | 01:45h | UTC

1 – Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial – The Lancet (free)

Editorial: WOMAN: reducing maternal deaths with tranexamic acid (free)

Commentary: Overlooked Drug Could Save Thousands Of Moms After Childbirth – NPR Goats and Soda (free)

“Tranexamic acid reduced deaths of mothers caused by bleeding after childbirth by 1/3” (RT @LSHTMpress see Tweet)

2 – Guideline: Role of Biomarkers for the Prevention, Assessment, and Management of Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (free PDF)

News release: New guidance on heart failure tests can improve care – American Heart Association News (free)

3 – Editorial: Saturated fat does not clog the arteries: coronary heart disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, the risk of which can be effectively reduced from healthy lifestyle interventions – British Journal of Sports Medicine (free)

Commentaries on the editorial: Does saturated fats clog your arteries? Controversial paper says ‘no’ – CNN (free) AND The Battle Over the Causes of Cardiovascular Disease Heats Up! – By George Henderson and Grant Schofield (free) AND Backlash after report claims saturated fats do not increase heart risk – The Guardian (free) AND Expert reaction to editorial on saturated fat and heart disease – Science Media Centre (free)

Fat wars continue. New interesting but controversial editorial heats up the debate.

4 – Guidelines For Management Of Dyslipidemia And Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease – American Association Of Clinical Endocrinologists And American College Of Endocrinology (free PDF) (RT @greg_folkers)

5 – Adherence to High-Intensity Statins Following a Myocardial Infarction Hospitalization Among Medicare Beneficiaries – JAMA Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Source: Heart Attack Survivors Often Fail to Take Statins – The New York Times (free)

In this cohort only 41.6% of patients aged 66 to 75 years continued taking statins as prescribed at 2 years.

6 – Five years wisely: A look at Choosing Wisely’s effort to reduce unnecessary medical care – HealthNewsReview (free) (RT @pash22 and @glassmanamanda see Tweet)

See also: Choosing Wisely initiative was launched 5 years ago in our April 5 issue.

7 – How to Fight Cancer (When Cancer Fights Back) – The Atlantic (free)

“Understanding how the disease evolves is the key to stopping it”.

8 – How hype can mislead cancer patients, families – CNN (free)

“Cancer cost crisis forces tough choices”.

9 – Alcohol consumption, sinus tachycardia, and cardiac arrhythmias at the Munich Octoberfest: results from the Munich Beer Related Electrocardiogram Workup Study (MunichBREW) – European Heart Journal (free)

Sources: Alcohol binge can upset heart’s rhythm, say researchers – BBC Health News (free) AND Binge Drinkers Beware: Study Finds Link Between Alcohol And Heart Arrhythmias – NPR (free) AND Oktoberfest: Downing Beers, Raising Heart Rates – Acute measurement in beer tents shows high rate of sinus tachycardia – MedPage Today (free registration required)

10 – After Knee or Hip Replacement, No Place Like Home – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)

Original article abstract ($ for full-text): Effect of Inpatient Rehabilitation vs a Monitored Home-Based Program on Mobility in Patients With Total Knee Arthroplasty: The HIHO Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (free)

The NYT commentary talks about the futility of some interventions currently used to postpone surgery and about the benefits of outpatient rehabilitation.

Fri, Apr 28 – Top 10 Medical News Stories!

28 Apr, 2017 | 00:01h | UTC

1 – Automated Identification of Diabetic Retinopathy Using Deep Learning – Ophthalmology (free)

Source: Artificial Intelligence Shows Potential to Fight Blindness – NewsWise (free)

Another study showing an artificial intelligence-based algorithm can be used with high reliability to screen for diabetic retinopathy, with cases referred to an ophthalmologist for further evaluation and treatment.

See more about how doctors might be affected by artificial intelligence in our April 10 issue, see #8.

2 – Text and video: The riskiest vaccine? The one that is not given – Science (free) (RT @greg_folkers)

3 – Systematic review: Tobacco packaging design for reducing tobacco use – Cochrane Library (link to summary – $ for full-text)

News release: Standardised tobacco packaging: will banning branding cut down smoking? (free)

New evidence finds standardized cigarette packaging may reduce the number of people who smoke.

4 – A better way to care for the dying – The Economist (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)

“How the medical profession is starting to move beyond fighting death to easing it”.

5 – Normal-Weight Central Obesity and Risk for Mortality – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Waist circumference stronger predictor of death risk than BMI – Haelio (free) AND Forget Your BMI and Focus on This Measurement Instead – TIME (free) AND Central Obesity Ups Mortality Across BMI Range – Physician’s Briefing (free) AND Central obesity may increase mortality risk from cardiovascular disease – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND People with a normal BMI who carry weight around the middle at greatest risk of death – HealthCanal (free)

6 – Advil, Motrin and other NSAIDs painkillers should be prescription only, Danish study says – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (free) (RT @medpagetoday see Tweet)

See more commentaries on this study in our March 17 issue, see #5.

7 – Mortality risk during and after opioid substitution treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies – The BMJ (free)

Editorial: Opioid substitution treatment is linked to reduced risk of death in opioid use disorder – The BMJ (free)

Commentary: Opioid Substitution Therapy Associated with Reduced Mortality – Physician’s First Watch (free)

Opioid substitution treatment seems to be associated with decreased mortality.

8 – Viewpoint: Should we abandon routine blood tests? – The BMJ Opinion (free)

“The practice of ordering routine blood tests for patients attending hospital regardless of clinical need is wasteful and potentially damaging, argue three doctors”.

9 – Viewpoint: Universal health coverage, priority setting, and the human right to health – The Lancet (free registration required)

10 – Sepsis can send a child to the brink of death within hours. A new coalition of hospitals is fighting back – STAT News (free)

Automated Identification of Diabetic Retinopathy Using Deep Learning

28 Apr, 2017 | 16:42h | UTC

Automated Identification of Diabetic Retinopathy Using Deep Learning – Ophthalmology (free)

Source: Artificial Intelligence Shows Potential to Fight Blindness – NewsWise (free)

Related article: Development and Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy in Retinal Fundus Photographs – JAMA (link to abstract -$ for full-text)

See more about how doctors might be affected by artificial intelligence in our April 10 issue, see #8.

Role of Biomarkers for the Prevention, Assessment, and Management of Heart Failure

27 Apr, 2017 | 16:32h | UTC

Guideline: Role of Biomarkers for the Prevention, Assessment, and Management of Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (free PDF)

News release: New guidance on heart failure tests can improve care – American Heart Association News (free)

Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50

26 Apr, 2017 | 16:07h | UTC

Meta-analysis: Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis – British Journal of Sports Medicine (free)

Source: Exercise Could Benefit Cognition in Older Adults – Physician’s First Watch (free)

“Physical exercise interventions significantly improved cognitive function in adults older than 50 years, regardless of baseline cognitive status”.

Screening for Preeclampsia – USPSTF Recommendations

26 Apr, 2017 | 16:10h | UTC

Guideline: Screening for Preeclampsia: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement – JAMA (free)

Evidence Report and Systematic Review: Preeclampsia Screening (free)

Editorial 1: Early Identification of Pregnant Women at Risk for Preeclampsia (free)

Editorial 2: Screening for Preeclampsia and the USPSTF Recommendations (free)

Editorial 3: Preeclampsia and Hypertension – Courting a Long While: Time to Make It Official (free)

“The USPSTF recommends screening for preeclampsia in all pregnant women with blood pressure measurements throughout pregnancy”

World Malaria Day, 25 April 2017 – World Health Organization

26 Apr, 2017 | 16:11h | UTC

World Malaria Day, 25 April 2017 – World Health Organization (free)

Press release: Prevent malaria – save lives: WHO push for prevention on World Malaria Day, 25th April (free)

WHO Reports 2017: A framework for malaria elimination (free) AND Malaria prevention works: let’s close the gap – World Malaria Day 2017(free)

See also: WHO’s work on malaria (free)

After Knee or Hip Replacement, No Place Like Home

27 Apr, 2017 | 16:28h | UTC

After Knee or Hip Replacement, No Place Like Home – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)

The NYT commentary talks about the futility of some interventions currently used to postpone surgery and about the benefits of outpatient rehabilitation.

World Immunization Week, 24-30 April 2017

25 Apr, 2017 | 15:53h | UTC

World Immunization Week, 24-30 April 2017 – World Health Organization (free)

Press release: World Immunization Week 2017 (free)

See also: WHO’s work on immunization (free)

“Increasing immunization globally could save an additional 1.5 million people every year”.

Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Diagnosis and Treatment

25 Apr, 2017 | 16:03h | UTC

Review: Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Diagnosis and Treatment – Deutsches Ärzteblatt international (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter (free)

Wed, Apr 26 – 10 Medical Stories of The Day!

26 Apr, 2017 | 00:01h | UTC

1 – World Malaria Day, 25 April 2017 – World Health Organization (free)

Press release: Prevent malaria – save lives: WHO push for prevention on World Malaria Day, 25th April (free)

WHO Reports 2017: A framework for malaria elimination (free) AND Malaria prevention works: let’s close the gap – World Malaria Day 2017 (free)

See also: WHO’s work on malaria (free)

2 – Guideline: Screening for Preeclampsia: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement – JAMA (free)

Evidence Report and Systematic Review: Preeclampsia Screening (free)

Editorial 1: Early Identification of Pregnant Women at Risk for Preeclampsia (free)

Editorial 2: Screening for Preeclampsia and the USPSTF Recommendations (free)

Editorial 3: Preeclampsia and Hypertension – Courting a Long While: Time to Make It Official (free)

“The USPSTF recommends screening for preeclampsia in all pregnant women with blood pressure measurements throughout pregnancy”

3 – Eat, Sleep, Repeat: How Kids’ Daily Routines Can Help Prevent Obesity – NPR (free)

Observational data suggests regular evening meals, limited screen-viewing time and sleep routine may help prevent obesity in children.

4 – Updated Guideline: Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Primary Care – Toward Optimized Practice (TOP) Guidelines (free)

Practical guideline for primary care providers.

5 – Meta-analysis: Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis – British Journal of Sports Medicine (free)

Source: Exercise Could Benefit Cognition in Older Adults – Physician’s First Watch (free)

“Physical exercise interventions significantly improved cognitive function in adults older than 50 years, regardless of baseline cognitive status”.

6 – Accuracy of PECARN, CATCH, and CHALICE head injury decision rules in children: a prospective cohort study – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Sources: External Validation of Three Decision Rules for Pediatric Head Injury – Journal Watch (free) AND Best way to diagnose head injuries in children and minimize CT scans – ScienceDaily (free) AND PECARN, CATCH, CHALICE … or None of the Above? – By Ryan P. Radecki, MD, in Emergency Medicine Literature of Note (free)

The 3 decision rules performed well with negative predictive values >99%. The PECARN clinical decision rule was more sensitive and missed only 1 patient with clinically important traumatic brain injury, but was less specific, meaning more CTs would be required. These findings indicate that CT can generally be avoided if one of the prediction rules are negative.

7 – Cohort study: Use of azithromycin and risk of ventricular arrhythmia – Canadian Medical Association Journal (free)

Source: No Major Azithromycin Arrhythmia Risk in Huge European Cohort – Medscape (free registration required)

Contradicting a previous study (free) and a 2013 safety warning from the US Food and Drug Administration (free), this large cohort did not show an association between azithromycin and ventricular arrhythmia when compared to amoxicillin.

8 – Review: Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Diagnosis and Treatment – Deutsches Ärzteblatt international (free)

Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter (free)

9 – With yellow fever reaching Rio, official says Brazil prepared – CIDRAP (free)

10 – Assessment of Global Kidney Health Care Status – JAMA (free)

Source: One in 10 People Worldwide Have Chronic Kidney Disease – Medscape (free registration required)

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