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Management of Small Renal Masses
10 Jul, 2017 | 14:54h | UTCManagement of Small Renal Masses: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline (free)
Summary: National Guideline Clearinghouse (free)
Beware of conflicting interests
10 Jul, 2017 | 14:58h | UTCBeware of conflicting interests – Students 4 Best Evidence (free)
This is the sixth in a series of 34 blogs based on a list of ‘Key Concepts’ developed by an Informed Health Choices project team.
Mon, July 10 – 10 Stories of The Day!
10 Jul, 2017 | 00:01h | UTC
1 – Scientists warn that antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is on the rise – World Health Organization (free)
News Release: Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea on the rise, new drugs needed – Word Health Organization (free)
Commentaries: Untreatable gonorrhoea on the rise worldwide – Nature News (free) AND New data show gonorrhea increasingly resistant to antibiotics STAT News (free) AND WHO warns of imminent spread of untreatable superbug gonorrhea – Reuters (free) AND Untreatable gonorrhoea ‘superbug’ spreading around world, WHO warns – The Guardian (free)
Related guideline: WHO guidelines for the treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (free)
Invited commentary: Determining the burden of respiratory syncytial virus disease: the known and the unknown (free)
Commentary: Experts urge action to cut child deaths from deadly lung virus – University of Edinburgh, via EurekAlert (free)
“We estimated that globally in 2015, 33.1 million episodes of RSV-ALRI, resulted in about 3.2 million hospital admissions, and 59 600 in-hospital deaths in children younger than 5 years”. (RT @greg_folkers see Tweet)
3 – Breaking multiple unhealthy habits all at once has modest impact, but not always… – NIHR Signal (free)
Original article: Multiple Risk Behavior Interventions: Meta-analyses of RCTs – American Journal of Preventive Medicine (free)
“Review suggests it might be sensible to tackle smoking and diet separately, rather than at the same time” (RT @NIHR_DC see Tweet)
4 – Diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa: from clinical care to health policy – The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (free registration required)
Invited commentary: The crisis of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa (free registration required)
Commentaries: Alarm Bells Sound on Diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa – Medscape (free registration required) AND Increasing diabetes burden in sub-Saharan Africa has potential to reverse health gains of recent years – News Medical (free)
“The growing burden of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa will have huge consequences” (RT @Medscape see Tweet)
5 – Declining Risk of Sudden Death in Heart Failure – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Has Effective Medical Therapy Made The Benefit of ICDs Uncertain? – University of Glasgow News (free) AND Net value of pacemakers/defibrillators may no longer be so clear-cut – OnMedica (free) AND Sudden Death Declining in Heart Failure – Does the trend mean that ICDs are indicated less often? – CardioBrief (free)
See also: The Changing Face of Clinical Trials Series (free)
7 – Diabetes and Ramadan: Practical guidelines – Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (free)
8 – Pretreatment fasting plasma glucose and insulin modify dietary weight loss success: results from 3 randomized clinical trials – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin identified as new biomarkers for weight loss – University of Copenhagen, via ScienceDaily (free) AND Low-Fat or Low Carb for Weight Loss? It Depends on Your Glucose Metabolism – EbioMedicine (free)
Individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes seem to have better results with low-carb diets.
9 – The Machines Are Getting Ready to Play Doctor – MIT Technology Review (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet 1 and Tweet 2)
Original article: Cardiologist-Level Arrhythmia Detection with Convolutional Neural Networks – Cornell University Library (free PDF)
In this study, a machine learning algorithm was better at diagnosing arrhythmias than cardiologists.
10 – Direct oral anticoagulants for treatment of HIT: update of Hamilton experience and literature review – Blood (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Source: Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia – Journal Watch ($)
This literature review and observational study suggest direct oral anticoagulants (rivaroxaban, apixaban, dabigatran) are safe and effective for the treatment of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.
The rise of antibiotic-resistant infections threaten economies
10 Jul, 2017 | 14:55h | UTCThe rise of antibiotic-resistant infections threaten economies – Finantial Times (a few articles per month are free) (RT @greg_folkers see Tweet)
Related report: Drug-Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic Future – World Bank (Free PDF) AND Infographic: Drug Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic Future (free) AND News Release: By 2050, drug-resistant infections could cause global economic damage on par with 2008 financial crisis (free)
Free Online Course. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:52h | UTCJust Started! Free Online Course. Health for All Through Primary Health Care – Johns Hopkins University and Coursera
Effective Care for High-Need Patients
10 Jul, 2017 | 14:53h | UTCEffective Care for High-Need Patients: Opportunities for Improving Outcomes, Value, and Health (free PDF)
See also: News release (free) AND Executive summary (free PDF) AND Key Points (free PDF) AND Characteristics of Successful Care Models for High-Need Patients (free PDF)
See more resources on high-need, high-cost patients in our July 4th issue (see #2)
Source: STAT News Newsletter
“Nearly half of the nation’s spending on health care is driven by 5 percent of patients, and improving health outcomes and curbing spending in health care will require identifying who these high-needs patients are and providing coordinated services” (from EurekAlert)
The weird power of the placebo effect, explained
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:47h | UTCThe weird power of the placebo effect, explained – VOX (free)
Related: Placebos can work even when patients know what they are – World Economic Forum (free)
Breaking multiple unhealthy habits all at once has modest impact
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:41h | UTC3 – Breaking multiple unhealthy habits all at once has modest impact, but not always… – NIHR Signal (free)
Original article: Multiple Risk Behavior Interventions: Meta-analyses of RCTs – American Journal of Preventive Medicine (free)
“Review suggests it might be sensible to tackle smoking and diet separately, rather than at the same time” (RT @NIHR_DC see Tweet)
How to make global universal healthcare a reality
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:49h | UTCViewpoint: How to make global universal healthcare a reality – The Guardian (free)
“What is the best model to bring healthcare to all? Our experts offer 11 ideas for increasing access to health services around the world”
Global burden of respiratory syncytial virus in young children
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:42h | UTCInvited commentary: Determining the burden of respiratory syncytial virus disease: the known and the unknown (free)
Commentary: Experts urge action to cut child deaths from deadly lung virus – University of Edinburgh, via EurekAlert (free)
“We estimated that globally in 2015, 33.1 million episodes of RSV-ALRI, resulted in about 3.2 million hospital admissions, and 59 600 in-hospital deaths in children younger than 5 years”. (RT @greg_folkers see Tweet)
Declining Risk of Sudden Death in Heart Failure
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:39h | UTCDeclining Risk of Sudden Death in Heart Failure – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Has Effective Medical Therapy Made The Benefit of ICDs Uncertain? – University of Glasgow News (free) AND Net value of pacemakers/defibrillators may no longer be so clear-cut – OnMedica (free) AND Sudden Death Declining in Heart Failure – Does the trend mean that ICDs are indicated less often? – CardioBrief (free)
Diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa: from clinical care to health policy
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:40h | UTCDiabetes in sub-Saharan Africa: from clinical care to health policy – The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (free registration required)
Invited commentary: The crisis of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa (free registration required)
Commentaries: Alarm Bells Sound on Diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa – Medscape (free registration required) AND Increasing diabetes burden in sub-Saharan Africa has potential to reverse health gains of recent years – News Medical (free)
“The growing burden of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa will have huge consequences” (RT @Medscape see Tweet)
Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea on the rise, new drugs needed
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:44h | UTC1 – Scientists warn that antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is on the rise – World Health Organization (free)
News Release: Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea on the rise, new drugs needed – Word Health Organization (free)
Commentaries: Untreatable gonorrhoea on the rise worldwide – Nature News (free) AND New data show gonorrhea increasingly resistant to antibiotics STAT News (free) AND WHO warns of imminent spread of untreatable superbug gonorrhea – Reuters (free) AND Untreatable gonorrhoea ‘superbug’ spreading around world, WHO warns – The Guardian (free)
Related guideline: WHO guidelines for the treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Direct oral anticoagulants for treatment of Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:35h | UTCDirect oral anticoagulants for treatment of HIT: update of Hamilton experience and literature review – Blood (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Source: Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia – Journal Watch ($)
This literature review and observational study suggest direct oral anticoagulants (rivaroxaban, apixaban, dabigatran) are safe and effective for the treatment of Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia.
Cardiologist-Level Arrhythmia Detection with Convolutional Neural Networks
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:36h | UTCThe Machines Are Getting Ready to Play Doctor – MIT Technology Review (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet 1 and Tweet 2)
Original article: Cardiologist-Level Arrhythmia Detection with Convolutional Neural Networks – Cornell University Library (free PDF)
In this study, a machine learning algorithm was better at diagnosing arrhythmias than cardiologists.
Report: Towards Universal Health Coverage: thinking public
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:23h | UTCReport: Towards UHC: thinking public – Word Health Organization (free)
“New WHO report sheds light for first time on the proportion of domestic public funds spent on health in low- and middle-income countries” (RT @WHO see Tweet)
Salt intake and Cardiovascular Disease
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:28h | UTCSalt intake and Cardiovascular Disease – European Heart Journal (free)
Commentary: CardioBrief: Int’l Experts Call Sodium Guidelines Far Too Restrictive – MedPage Today (free)
Summary of the technical report on sodium intake and cardiovascular disease with key recommendations for individuals and policymakers.
Pretreatment fasting plasma glucose and insulin modify dietary weight loss success
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:38h | UTCPretreatment fasting plasma glucose and insulin modify dietary weight loss success: results from 3 randomized clinical trials – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin identified as new biomarkers for weight loss – University of Copenhagen, via ScienceDaily (free) AND Low-Fat or Low Carb for Weight Loss? It Depends on Your Glucose Metabolism – EbioMedicine (free)
Individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes seem to have better results with low-carb diets.
Gabapentin for chronic neuropathic pain in adults
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:26h | UTCCochrane Review: Gabapentin for chronic neuropathic pain in adults – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Analgesic Effects of Gabapentin Assessed in Chronic Neuropathic Pain – MPR (free)
“Gabapentin at doses of 1800 mg to 3600 mg daily (1200 mg to 3600 mg gabapentin encarbil) can provide good levels of pain relief to some people with postherpetic neuralgia and peripheral diabetic neuropathy”.
Medication nonadherence may increase health care costs
8 Jul, 2017 | 20:19h | UTCLongitudinal Patterns of Medication Nonadherence and Associated Health Care Costs – Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Taking medications as prescribed important to control health care costs – Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, via EurekAlert (free)
In this small study, patients with increasing nonadherence over time demonstrate more than a 3-fold increase in costs compared with adherent patients.
Doxycycline may be a safer first option for treating a blistering skin condition
8 Jul, 2017 | 20:28h | UTCDoxycycline may be a safer first option for treating a blistering skin condition – NIHR Signal (free)
Original Article: Doxycycline versus prednisolone as an initial treatment strategy for bullous pemphigoid: a pragmatic, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial – The Lancet (free) AND Editorial: Doxycycline: a first-line treatment for bullous pemphigoid? (free)
Vasomotor symptoms are associated with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older women
9 Jul, 2017 | 00:20h | UTCVasomotor symptoms are associated with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older women – Menopause (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Treatable menopause symptoms linked to depression in older women – Reuters (free)
Association of Playing High School Football With Cognition and Mental Health Later in Life
8 Jul, 2017 | 20:22h | UTCEditorial: Reassuring News About Football and Cognitive Decline? Not So Fast
Commentaries: What Are Outcomes Later in Life for High School Football Players? – The JAMA Network (free) AND High School Football: No Link to Later Cognitive Decline – Medscape (free registration required)
The Smart-Medicine Solution to the Health-Care Crisis
8 Jul, 2017 | 20:16h | UTCViewpoint: The Smart-Medicine Solution to the Health-Care Crisis – The Wall Street Journal (by @EricTopol) (a few articles per month are free)
“Our health-care system won’t be fixed by insurance reform. To contain costs and improve results, we need to move aggressively to adopt the tools of information-age medicine”.
Pictograms, Units and Dosing Tools, and Parent Medication Errors
7 Jul, 2017 | 14:08h | UTCPictograms, Units and Dosing Tools, and Parent Medication Errors: A Randomized Study – Pediatrics (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Most Parents Give Kids Wrong Doses – MedPage Today (free registration required) AND Proper tools may help prevent medicine errors at home – Reuters (free)