Family Medicine
Cancer Pain – Updated PDQ Cancer Information Summary
29 May, 2017 | 15:17h | UTCCancer Pain – Updated PDQ Cancer Information Summary, National Cancer Institute (US) (free)
Exercise and other non-pharmaceutical interventions for cancer-related fatigue in patients during or after cancer treatment
29 May, 2017 | 15:21h | UTCCommentary: Several non-drug options help with fatigue during, after cancer treatment – Reuters Health News (free)
Cardiovascular Toxicity of Illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use
26 May, 2017 | 15:11h | UTCCardiovascular Toxicity of Illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Anabolic Steroid Use Linked With Myocardial Dysfunction and Accelerated Atherosclerosis – TCTMD (free) AND Chronic anabolic steroid use may damage heart – American Heart Association News (free)
“The findings are a public health concern, given that as many as 1% of young men, not all of them athletes, may use these agents” (from TCTMD above).
Thrombocytosis and cancer
29 May, 2017 | 15:18h | UTCClinical relevance of thrombocytosis in primary care: a prospective cohort study of cancer incidence using English electronic medical records and cancer registry data – British Journal of General Practice (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Cautions and caveats help buoy Guardian story on using high platelet count for cancer detection – HealthNewsReview (free) High blood platelet count ‘as good a cancer predictor as a lump in the breast’ – The Guardian (free)
Thrombocytosis seems to be a risk marker of cancer in adults, but questions remain about the clinical usefulness of these findings.
Antibiotic therapy for nearly one in four adults with pneumonia does not work
29 May, 2017 | 15:20h | UTC#ATS2017 – Antibiotic therapy for nearly one in four adults with pneumonia does not work – American Thoracic Society, via Science Daily (free) (RT @IDSAInfo see Tweet)
See also: Pneumonia Treatment Failure Rates High – Medscape (free registration required) AND Adults With Pneumonia Often Fail First Antibiotic – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Thrombolysis may reduce complications of deep vein thrombosis
26 May, 2017 | 15:09h | UTCThrombolysis may reduce complications of deep vein thrombosis – NIHR Signal (free)
Original article: Thrombolysis for acute deep vein thrombosis – Cochrane Library (Link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Thrombolysis reduced post-thrombotic syndrome, but lead to more bleeding complications than standard anticoagulation. “Individuals with clots in the pelvis and thigh, which carry higher risk of complications, may be likely to gain most benefit”.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in adults: diagnosis and management
26 May, 2017 | 15:04h | UTCIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in adults: diagnosis and management – NICE Guideline (free)
Diagnostic accuracy of post-mortem CT
26 May, 2017 | 15:07h | UTCEditorial: Targeted coronary post-mortem CT angiography, straight to the heart (free)
Commentary: Digital autopsies should be standard for probable natural deaths, says study – The Guardian (free)
Development and validation of QRISK3 risk prediction algorithms to estimate future risk of cardiovascular disease
25 May, 2017 | 14:55h | UTCRecommended: New QRISK-3 2017 Calculator (free)
QRISK-3 risk prediction model was developed with data from 7.89 million patients in the derivation cohort and 2.67 million patients in the validation cohort. QRISK-3 includes more factors than QRISK2 to help enable doctors to identify those at most risk of heart disease and stroke. New risk factors include: 1) Chronic kidney disease, which now includes stage 3 CKD; 2) Migraine; 3) Use of corticosteroids; 4) Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); 5) Use of atypical antipsychotics; 6) Severe mental illness; 7) Erectile dysfunction; 8) and Systolic blood pressure variability.
Eating disorders: recognition and treatment
26 May, 2017 | 15:03h | UTCEating disorders: recognition and treatment – NICE Guideline (free)
Effect of Cephalexin Plus Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole vs Cephalexin Alone on Clinical Cure of Uncomplicated Cellulitis
25 May, 2017 | 14:53h | UTCEffect of Cephalexin Plus Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole vs Cephalexin Alone on Clinical Cure of Uncomplicated Cellulitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (Link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Adding Anti-MRSA to Cephalexin No Better for Simple Cellulitis – Medscape (free registration required) AND Adding TMP/SMX to Cephalexin May Not Boost Cure Rate in Uncomplicated Cellulitis – Physician’s First Watch (free)
The lap band for weight loss is a tale of medicine gone wrong
25 May, 2017 | 15:02h | UTCThe lap band for weight loss is a tale of medicine gone wrong – VOX (free)
See also a recent study showing high complication rates of laparoscopic gastric band surgeries in our May 23rd issue (see #7)
Effect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery
25 May, 2017 | 14:50h | UTCEffect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Surgery (free) (RT @PreetiNMalani see Tweet)
Commentary: Anti-delirium strategy reduces after-surgery confusion in elderly – Reuters Health (free)
Multicomponent nonpharmacologic interventions, including orienting communications, oral and nutritional assistance, and early mobilization reduced postoperative delirium by 56% and length of stay by 2 days.
Human papillomavirus vaccines: WHO position paper
25 May, 2017 | 14:48h | UTC“WHO update on HPV vaccine. Short summary – it’s very safe, very effective, widespread implementation recommended” (RT @michaelgheadsee Tweet)
Factors Associated with Pediatric Mortality from Motor Vehicle Crashes
25 May, 2017 | 14:47h | UTCCommentaries: 43 Percent Of Children Who Died From Car Crashes Were Improperly Restrained – NPR Health News (free)
Electronic WHO Postpartum Family Planning Compendium
24 May, 2017 | 14:43h | UTCElectronic WHO Postpartum Family Planning Compendium – World Health Organization (free)
How to use it: Introducing the World Health Organization Postpartum Family Planning Compendium – International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (free)
This interactive website integrates essential guidance on postpartum family planning for clinicians, program managers, and policy makers.
Angioedema in the emergency department
25 May, 2017 | 14:46h | UTCAngioedema in the emergency department: a practical guide to differential diagnosis and management – International Journal of Emergency Medicine (free) (RT @Gas_Craic see Tweet)
Perioperative management of patients on direct oral anticoagulants
24 May, 2017 | 14:42h | UTCReview: Perioperative management of patients on direct oral anticoagulants – Thrombosis Journal (free)
Just one alcoholic drink a day may increase breast cancer risk
24 May, 2017 | 14:39h | UTCDiet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Breast Cancer – American Institute for Cancer Research (free PDF)
News release: Just one alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk, exercise lowers risk – American Institute for Cancer Research, via EurekAlert (free)
Commentaries: Today’s alcohol and breast cancer headlines are wrong: Here’s how news reports could have done better – HealthNewsReview(free) AND ‘Half a glass of wine every day’ increases breast cancer risk – BBC Health News (free) AND Just One Drink a Day Raises Breast Cancer Risk – Medscape (free registration required)
Pediatricians Advise No Fruit Juice Until Kids Are 1
23 May, 2017 | 14:31h | UTCCommentaries: Pediatricians Advise No Fruit Juice Until Kids Are 1 – NPR Health News (free) AND Pediatricians Say No Fruit Juice in Child’s First Year – New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Trans-fat – The Worst Fat in the Food Supply
24 May, 2017 | 14:36h | UTCThe Worst Fat in the Food Supply – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
See also a recent study and commentaries on the effects of trans-fat bans in our April 23rd issue (see #1)
Trans-fat bans seem to be reducing cardiovascular deaths.
Effect of Statin Treatment vs Usual Care on Primary Cardiovascular Prevention Among Older Adults
23 May, 2017 | 14:32h | UTCEffect of Statin Treatment vs Usual Care on Primary Cardiovascular Prevention Among Older Adults: The ALLHAT-LLT Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Internal Medicine (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Editorial: Risks of Statin Therapy in Older Adults (free)
Commentaries: Older adults may not benefit from taking statins to prevent heart disease – Medical News Today (free) AND Pravastatin Doesn’t Improve Clinical Outcomes in Seniors – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Patients > 65 years with moderate hyperlipidemia and hypertension had no benefit from pravastatin for primary prevention. “A nonsignificant direction toward increased all-cause mortality with pravastatin was observed among adults 75 years and older” (HR 1.34; 95% CI, 0.98-1.84; P = .07).
Lack of Evidence for Benefit From Long-term Use of Opioid Analgesics for Patients With Neuropathy
24 May, 2017 | 14:35h | UTCEditorial: Lack of Evidence for Benefit From Long-term Use of Opioid Analgesics for Patients With Neuropathy (free)
Commentaries: Long-Term Opioid Treatment Seems Only to Add Complications to Polyneuropathy – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Long-Term Opioids May Not Help in Polyneuropathy – MedPage Today (free registration required)
“Patients had worse functional outcomes than controls; some became dependent” (from MedPage Today)
Cancer screening in the United States, 2017
23 May, 2017 | 14:27h | UTC
Home Noninvasive Ventilation to Reduce Readmissions for COPD
23 May, 2017 | 14:30h | UTCEditorial: Home Noninvasive Ventilation to Reduce Readmissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (free)
Commentary: Addition of Home Noninvasive Ventilation Tied to Fewer Readmissions After COPD Exacerbation – Physician’s First Watch (free)