Archives
RCT: No benefit from antithrombotic therapy (aspirin or apixaban) in outpatients with clinically stable symptomatic COVID-19.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:28h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Data do not support the use of aspirin or apixaban in the outpatient setting to reduce the major adverse cardiovascular or pulmonary consequences associated with symptomatic but clinically stable #SARSCoV2 infection https://t.co/SH6OefXOCj #COVID19
— JAMA (@JAMA_current) October 11, 2021
Nationwide study in Sweden shows link between COVID vaccination and reduced household transmission.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:25h | UTCNews release: Nationwide study shows link between COVID vaccination and reduced household transmission – Umea University
Original study: Association Between Risk of COVID-19 Infection in Nonimmune Individuals and COVID-19 Immunity in Their Family Members – JAMA Internal Medicine
Related:
Review | Prevention of host-to-host transmission by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
Study ties COVID vaccines to lower transmission rates.
Covid-19 vaccination prevents transmission from vaccinated to unvaccinated household members.
D-Dimer testing for the exclusion of pulmonary embolism has limited clinical utility among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 – most patients with or without pulmonary embolism have increased levels.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:26h | UTCCommentary: D-Dimer Level Not Useful for Ruling Out PE in COVID-19 Patients – HealthDay
Covid-19: Is New Zealand’s switch in policy a step forward or a retreat?
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:21h | UTCCovid-19: Is New Zealand’s switch in policy a step forward or a retreat? – The BMJ
Related:
New Zealand acknowledges it can no longer completely get rid of the coronavirus.
Why we must not allow COVID to become endemic in New Zealand – The Conversation
Commentary on Twitter
On 4 October New Zealand's prime minister announced that the country was shifting from a policy of elimination to a mitigation approach more in line with policies in other developed countries.
What comes next and what lessons have been learnt?https://t.co/Z62olXHzb9
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) October 11, 2021
How antiviral pill Molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:18h | UTCHow antiviral pill molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt – Nature
Related:
What we know — and don’t know — about Merck’s new Covid-19 pill.
Merck’s Covid-19 pill is great news but may not be a game-changer.
Video | A Pill For COVID? A Doctor Explains Molnupiravir.
WHO’s Special Report on Climate Change and Health.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:12h | UTCNews release: WHO’s 10 calls for climate action to assure sustained recovery from COVID-19 – World Health Organization
Report: COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health – World Health Organization
Commentary: ‘Burning of Fossil Fuels is Killing Us’ – Declares New WHO Climate and Health Report – Health Policy Watch
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
#ClimateCrisis harms our health!#ClimateCrisis harms our health!#ClimateCrisis harms our health!
Limiting global warming to 1.5°C isn't only the right thing to do but also a shared responsibility for health.
🆕 WHO #COP26 Special Report explains why 👉https://t.co/WXMdMgPSWv pic.twitter.com/r8NFs1oI37
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 11, 2021
Why easing COVID restrictions could prompt a fierce flu rebound – “As pandemic restrictions ease, other respiratory viruses are returning in unexpected ways”.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:19h | UTCWhy easing COVID restrictions could prompt a fierce flu rebound – Nature
The BMJ Series on Climate Emergency and Health Professionals – Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:10h | UTCAccelerating climate action: the role of health professionals
Changing behaviour for net zero 2050
From drug discovery to coronaviruses: why restoring natural habitats is good for human health
How to achieve a net zero carbon NHS during a pandemic
A world on the edge of climate disaster
David Oliver: Outpatient clinics’ role in sustainability
Helen Salisbury: The time is now
Rammya Mathew: Climate action will require radical reform of how we practise medicine
Overdiagnosis is increasing the carbon footprint of healthcare
The climate crisis and the rise of eco-anxiety
How can I be an environmentally conscious healthcare practitioner?
Talking to patients about the climate emergency
COP26: a missed opportunity for climate leadership
Making outpatient care sustainable for the future
A planetary health curriculum for medicine
AHA Scientific Statement: Medication Adherence and Blood Pressure Control.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:09h | UTCNews release: Health system crucial to improve medication adherence for people managing hypertension – American Heart Association
Top Things to Know: Medication Adherence and Blood Pressure Control – American Heart Association
Commentary: Medication Adherence – Is It Really the Patient’s Fault? – American Heart Association
RCT: In stable patients who have undergone PCI for acute myocardial infarction, de-escalation from aspirin + ticagrelor to aspirin + clopidogrel after 1 month reduced bleeding events without increasing cardiovascular risk.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:06h | UTCUnguided de-escalation from ticagrelor to clopidogrel in stabilised patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (TALOS-AMI): an investigator-initiated, open-label, multicentre, non-inferiority, randomised trial – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
RCT: Spinal Anesthesia not Superior to General Anesthesia for Hip Surgery in Older Adults.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:07h | UTCSpinal Anesthesia or General Anesthesia for Hip Surgery in Older Adults – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
News release: Myth busted: General anesthesia just as safe as spinal anesthesia after broken hip surgery – Penn Medicine
Commentary: Study Finds Spinal Anesthesia Not Superior to General Anesthesia for Hip-Fracture Surgery – BreakingMed
RCT: In patients with acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion, thrombectomy with combined contact aspiration and stent retriever was not better than stent retriever alone.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:04h | UTCEffect of Thrombectomy With Combined Contact Aspiration and Stent Retriever vs Stent Retriever Alone on Revascularization in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke and Large Vessel Occlusion: The ASTER2 Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries:
Little Benefit From Adding Aspiration to Thrombectomy for Stroke – Medscape (free registration required)
Combo Thrombectomy Approach No Better for Large Vessel Strokes – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Commentary on Twitter
Clinical trial found the rate of near-total or total reperfusion at the end of the endovascular procedure was not significantly different for patients receiving thrombectomy with contact aspiration and stent retriever combined vs stent retriever alone https://t.co/SQTEnysFBG
— JAMA (@JAMA_current) September 28, 2021
Survey finds misperceptions associated with palliative care are widespread – stigma may be perpetuated by those who falsely believe they understand its meaning.
11 Oct, 2021 | 23:54h | UTCPublic knowledge and attitudes concerning palliative care – BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
Commentary on Twitter
Public misperceptions & stigma around palliative care are significant issues even for very well developed health systems. 29% of Canadian sample believed pall care meant doctors were 'giving up'. https://t.co/gpCFwFrk8z pic.twitter.com/TZsqwdbQnt
— Richard Sullivan (@SullivanProf) October 10, 2021
Cluster RCT: An antimicrobial stewardship intervention safely reduced the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics among patients hospitalized with moderately severe community-acquired pneumonia.
11 Oct, 2021 | 23:55h | UTCNarrow-spectrum antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in Dutch adults (CAP-PACT): a cross-sectional, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised, non-inferiority, antimicrobial stewardship intervention trial – The Lancet Infectious Diseases (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
RCT: Among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, those randomized to systemic treatment alone had lower sixty-day mortality compared to those randomized to primary tumor resection followed by systemic treatment.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:01h | UTCSixty-Day Mortality of Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Randomized to Systemic Treatment vs Primary Tumor Resection Followed by Systemic Treatment: The CAIRO4 Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Surgery (free for a limited period)
Editorial: Primary Tumor Resection and Patients With Asymptomatic Colorectal Cancer and Nonresectable Metastases: Results of Recent Randomized Trials – JAMA Surgery (free for a limited period)
Commentary: Systemic Therapy Alone Bests Surgical Tx for Metastatic CRC – BreakingMed
Commentary on Twitter
Early mortality in patients with colorectal cancer and unresectable metastases randomized to primary tumor resection followed by systemic treatment is considerably higher than early mortality in patients randomized to systemic treatment only https://t.co/SyfYjmDU7i @DaveKruijssen
— JAMA Surgery (@JAMASurgery) October 11, 2021
RCT: Early treatment with mild aerobic exercise safely speeds recovery from sport-related concussion in adolescents.
11 Oct, 2021 | 23:58h | UTCNews release: Aerobic exercise after a sport-related concussion speeds recovery in adolescent athletes – University at Buffalo
Related:
Randomized Trial: Early Aerobic Exercise for Sport-Related Concussion
RCT: Limiting screen time for young adults after concussion results in shorter duration of symptoms.
Commentaries on Twitter
RCT study in @TheLancet shows adolescents who sub-threshold aerobic exercise 20 mins/ day for 4 weeks starting within 10 days of a concussion are 48% less likely to get prolonged symptoms. https://t.co/1tafsQHrXt
— Dr Ademola Adejuwon (@SmileySportyDoc) October 2, 2021
Sport-related #concussion is a major public health issue in US adolescents
This new RCT of aerobic exercise vs stretching found exercise sped up recovery and reduced risk for persistent post-concussive symptomshttps://t.co/jP30N1eJEQ pic.twitter.com/ux42VSMfSr
— The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (@LancetChildAdol) October 1, 2021
Kids are losing school days to quarantines. Here’s a way to keep them in classrooms – “Test-to-stay could dramatically reduce close contact quarantines”.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:52h | UTCKids are losing school days to quarantines. Here’s a way to keep them in classrooms – NPR
Related study: Cluster RCT: Daily contact testing of school-based contacts was non-inferior to self-isolation for control of COVID-19 transmission.
New Global Burden of Disease analyses show depression and anxiety among the top causes of health burden worldwide, and a significant increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:57h | UTCCommentaries:
Depression and anxiety disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: knowns and unknowns – The Lancet
Covid crisis dramatically worsened global mental health, study finds – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
✨🆕–The #COVID19 pandemic led to a stark rise in depressive and anxiety disorders globally in 2020 w/women & younger people most affected, according to a new study by our researchers & collaborators published today in @TheLancet. #GBDstudy #MentalHealth
»https://t.co/qXEDzn3idV pic.twitter.com/4xsofBXyvS
— Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) (@IHME_UW) October 8, 2021
RCT: Therapeutic-dose heparin superior to standard prophylactic or intermediate-dose heparins for thromboprophylaxis in high-risk hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:53h | UTCInvited commentary: Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 – JAMA Internal Medicine
Related studies (some conflicting results)
Commentary on Twitter
Thromboprophylaxis w therapeutic-dose LMWH reduced major thromboembolism and death by 32% compared with institutional standard heparin without increased major bleeding among #COVID19 inpatients with elevated D-dimers. The effect wasn't seen in ICU patients https://t.co/Wrgj2Ho5lv
— JAMA Internal Medicine (@JAMAInternalMed) October 7, 2021
Heart-inflammation risk from Pfizer COVID vaccine is very low.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:42h | UTCHeart-inflammation risk from Pfizer COVID vaccine is very low – Nature
Original studies:
[Preprint] COVID-19 in children due to SARS-CoV-2 Delta strain resembles illness due to the Alpha variant, with short duration and similar symptom burden.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:44h | UTCIllness characteristics of COVID-19 in children infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant – medRxiv
Commentary on Twitter
Did you hear “Delta is different”, when it comes to #COVID19 symptom severity in children?
GOOD NEWS 🥳
Turns out there is barely any difference at all between Delta and Alpha in symptom duration, severity, or risk of “long covid”
Myth busted 💥 https://t.co/iPd9AedXaS
— Alasdair Munro (@apsmunro) October 7, 2021
Bioethics | The Trolley Problem and Vaccinating Young People Against COVID-19.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:50h | UTCThe Trolley Problem and Vaccinating Young People Against COVID-19 – Science-Based Medicine
WHO report highlights global shortfall in investment in mental health.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:39h | UTCWHO report highlights global shortfall in investment in mental health – World Health Organization
Report: Mental Health ATLAS 2020 – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The world has failed to provide people with the #MentalHealth services they need: new Mental Health Atlas
Read more➡️https://t.co/J0uKvKWZ46 pic.twitter.com/0wKx6JTV2F— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 8, 2021
World Mental Health Day: prioritize social justice, not only access to care.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:37h | UTCWorld Mental Health Day: prioritise social justice, not only access to care – The Lancet (free registration required)
Commentary on Twitter
"…under the wrong set of social circumstances, everyone is vulnerable to mental health problems."#WorldMentalHealthDay: prioritise social justice, not only access to care—a Comment by Soumitra Pathare @netshrink and colleagues. https://t.co/AwdSXo8y5H pic.twitter.com/Az6AB9vLmm
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) October 10, 2021
M-A: Accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for screening to detect major depression.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:34h | UTCSee calculator: PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)
Commentary on Twitter
This new study investigates the accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the most commonly used depression screening tool in general practice, for detecting major depression https://t.co/9WoI3MofWH
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) October 10, 2021