All Posts
New drugs, new toxicities: severe side effects of modern targeted and immunotherapy of cancer and their management
18 Apr, 2017 | 14:05h | UTCSource: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
Association of Facebook Use With Compromised Well-Being
17 Apr, 2017 | 13:56h | UTCA New, More Rigorous Study Confirms: The More You Use Facebook, the Worse You Feel – Harvard Business Review (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Original article abstract ($ for full-text): Association of Facebook Use With Compromised Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study – American Journal of Epidemiology
Can machine-learning improve cardiovascular risk prediction using routine clinical data?
17 Apr, 2017 | 13:57h | UTCCan machine-learning improve cardiovascular risk prediction using routine clinical data? – PLOS One (free)
See also: Self-taught artificial intelligence beats doctors at predicting heart attacks – Science (free)
“When expert MD guidelines are outperformed by machine learning for heart risk prediction” (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Increase in water and sanitation investment required to meet development targets
14 Apr, 2017 | 16:26h | UTCSee also: WHO’s work on water, sanitation and hygiene (free) AND WHO’s work on public health, environment and social determinants of health(free)
Life after breast, prostate, and colon cancer: Primary care’s role
17 Apr, 2017 | 13:53h | UTC
Banning trans fats in New York prevented thousands of heart attacks
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:08h | UTCHospital Admissions for Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Before and After the Trans-Fatty Acid Restrictions in New York – JAMA Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Sources: Banning trans fats in New York prevented thousands of heart attacks, study finds – STAT News (free) AND Trans Fat Bans Tied to Fewer Heart Attacks and Strokes – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Other localities might consider doing the same as well.
Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of drug-induced liver injury
17 Apr, 2017 | 13:54h | UTC
Screening for Endocrine Hypertension
14 Apr, 2017 | 16:27h | UTCScreening for Endocrine Hypertension: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement (free)
Source: Screen for Endocrine Hypertension, Endocrine Society Says – Medscape (free registration required)
“The statement provides guidance on screening for 15 hormonal disorders that present with hypertension and that can be potentially cured with surgery or treated with medication” (from Medscape commentary above).
Recorded childhood cancers rise by 13% worldwide
14 Apr, 2017 | 16:11h | UTCRecorded childhood cancers rise by 13% worldwide, study finds – The Guardian (free)
Original articles: International incidence of childhood cancer, 2001–10: a population-based registry study – The Lancet Oncology (free) ANDWorldwide comparison of survival from childhood leukaemia for 1995–2009, by subtype, age, and sex (CONCORD-2): a population-based study of individual data for 89 828 children from 198 registries in 53 countries – The Lancet Haematology (free) Related commentary: Issues raised by the incidence and survival of childhood cancers (free)
European Association of Urology releases its 1st thromboprophylaxis guideline
14 Apr, 2017 | 16:10h | UTCEuropean Association of Urology releases its 1st thromboprophylaxis guideline (free)
“Extended thromboprophylaxis is warranted in some procedures (eg, open and robotic cystectomy) but not others (eg, robotic prostatectomy without pelvic lymph node dissection in low-risk patients)”
“Extended prophylaxis is warranted for some procedures (eg, kidney transplantation procedures in high-risk patients) but not others (transurethral resection of the prostate and reconstructive female pelvic surgery in low-risk patients)”
ASCO has just published 3 guidelines on the management of pancreatic cancer
14 Apr, 2017 | 16:13h | UTCASCO has just published 3 guidelines on the management of pancreatic cancer:
1 – Potentially Curable Pancreatic Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update (free) AND 2 – Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Summary (free) AND 3 – Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Summary (free)
Screening to Prevent Invasive Cervical Cancer Guideline
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:03h | UTCScreening to Prevent Invasive Cervical Cancer: ASCO Resource-Stratified Clinical Practice Guideline (free)
“The ASCO guidelines outline the minimum standards for HPV-based screening for each resource strata; additional and more frequent screening may be added as the resources become available”.
Ten years in public health 2007-2017 – World Health Organization
14 Apr, 2017 | 16:25h | UTCTen years in public health 2007-2017 – World Health Organization (free)
WHO has launched a report that chronicles the evolution of global public health over the last decade. The first chapter examines WHO’s key role in promoting universal health coverage (free). The full series will be published over the next 6 weeks.
Childhood cancers: 2 new studies on international incidence and survival
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:05h | UTCChildhood cancers: 2 new studies on international incidence and survival (RT @TheLancet see Tweet)
Childhood cancer: International incidence of childhood cancer, 2001–10: a population-based registry study – The Lancet Oncology (free)
Childhood leukemia: Worldwide comparison of survival from childhood leukaemia for 1995–2009, by subtype, age, and sex (CONCORD-2): a population-based study of individual data for 89 828 children from 198 registries in 53 countries – The Lancet Haematology (free)
Related commentary: Issues raised by the incidence and survival of childhood cancers (free)
Prostate Cancer Screening – Conflicting views on the new USPSTF draft recommendations
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:06h | UTCProstate Cancer Screening – Conflicting views on the new USPSTF draft recommendations
In favor of screening: New Official Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines Announced: Too Little, Too Late? – Forbes (free) AND Federal Task Force Softens Opposition To Routine Prostate Cancer Screening – NPR
Against screening: The new recommendations for prostate cancer screenings are a bad deal – STAT News (free)
See also: Original USPSTF draft recommendations and related commentaries in yesterday’s issue
Short term use of oral corticosteroids and related harms
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:07h | UTCCorticosteroids, even if used for short periods of time, seems to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In this retrospective cohort with 1.5 million adults, the incidence of acute adverse events (sepsis, venous thromboembolism, fracture) increased by twofold to fivefold above background rates.
Global burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:57h | UTCRelated commentary: Tallying the bills of mortality from air pollution (free)
4.2 million deaths globally were attributable to fine particles and another 254 000 to surface ozone in 2015. The article also has details on country-specific deaths and disability-adjusted life-years from 1990 through 2015.
Famine now threatens 20 million people
12 Apr, 2017 | 16:00h | UTCFamine now threatens 20 million people – more than at any time since World War II – Washington Post (RT @AthaliaChristie and @wpjenna)
Potentially Curable Pancreatic Cancer Guideline
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:02h | UTCDue to a recent study showing a 2,5 month increase in median overall survival, the doublet regimen of gemcitabine and capecitabine seems to be preferred in the absence of concerns for toxicity or tolerance.
Prostate Cancer Screening Draft Recommendations – USPSTF
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:58h | UTCProstate Cancer Screening Draft Recommendations – U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (free)
Viewpoint: The US Preventive Services Task Force 2017 Draft Recommendation Statement on Screening for Prostate Cancer: An Invitation to Review and Comment – JAMA (free)
See also: Should you get screened for prostate cancer? We break down the latest advice – STAT News (free)
For those aged 55 to 69 it recommends “informed, individualized decision making based on a man’s values and preferences”. According to a useful infographic from the draft recommendations, the benefits are likely small. For every 1000 men offered PSA based screening over a period of 10-15 years, the test would avoid cancer spreading in 3 men and death from prostate cancer in 1-2 men, with the undesired consequences of false positives and subsequent procedures in many patients.
The Patients Were Saved. That’s Why the Families Are Suing
13 Apr, 2017 | 16:01h | UTCThe Patients Were Saved. That’s Why the Families Are Suing – The New York Times (free)
“Historically, the practice has been “if in doubt, err on the side of aggressive, life-sustaining treatment,””. That might be changing.
New ILAE Epilepsy Classification Published
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:51h | UTCNew ILAE Epilepsy Classification Published – Medscape (free registration required)
Position paper: Operational classification of seizure types by the International League Against Epilepsy (free)
Practical manual: Instruction manual for the ILAE 2017 operational classification of seizure types (free)
“For the first time in 30 years, an epileptic seizures classification update” (RT @MedscapeNeuro see Tweet)
The hospital of tomorrow in 10 points
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:54h | UTCThe hospital of tomorrow in 10 points – Critical Care (free)
This is the first article in a new thematic series about the future of critical care (free)
Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:55h | UTCManagement of Osteoarthritis of the Hip – American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (free PDF)
Source: AAOS releases new clinical practice guideline for osteoarthritis of the hip – Medical Express (free)
How Many Pills Are Too Many?
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:56h | UTCHow Many Pills Are Too Many? – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
“Evidence has mounted about the dangers of taking multiple, perhaps unnecessary, medications” (from Tweet)