General Interest
Research: Circulating vitamin D concentration and risk of seven cancers
20 Nov, 2017 | 14:04h | UTCCommentary: Vitamin D level not associated with cancer risk – Clinical Adviser (free)
“These results, in combination with previous literature, provide evidence that population-wide screening for vitamin D deficiency and subsequent widespread vitamin D supplementation should not currently be recommended as a strategy for primary cancer prevention”.
Opinion: The case against hospital beds
11 Nov, 2017 | 19:18h | UTCThe case against hospital beds – Politico (free)
Research: Regeneration of the entire human epidermis using transgenic stem cells
11 Nov, 2017 | 19:19h | UTCRegeneration of the entire human epidermis using transgenic stem cells – Nature (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: A Dying Boy Gets a New, Gene-Corrected Skin – The Atlantic (free) Gene Therapy Creates Replacement Skin to Save a Dying Boy – The New York Times (free) AND ‘Extraordinary’ tale: Stem cells heal a young boy’s lethal skin disease – STAT (free) AND Scientists grow replacement skin for boy suffering devastating genetic disorder – The Guardian (free) Boy with rare disease gets brand new skin with gene therapy – Associated Press (free)
Viewpoint: Placebo Effect of the Heart
11 Nov, 2017 | 19:14h | UTCViewpoint: Placebo Effect of the Heart – The Atlantic (free)
Related viewpoints: 12 Seconds of Placebo – An Outsider’s View of ORBITA – The HealthCare Blog (free) AND ORBITA Trial Puts Interventional Cardiologists On The Defensive – Cardiobrief (free) AND ORBITA: Another clinical trial demonstrating the need for sham controls in surgical trials – Science-Based Medicine (free) AND Coronary Stents Humbled Yet Again in Stable CAD – Medscape (free)
See original ORBITA trial and commentaries in our November 3rd issue (see #1)
Research: Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV-negative persons with partners living with HIV
11 Nov, 2017 | 19:17h | UTC
Research: Drivers not always told about their prescriptions’ potentially impairing effects
11 Nov, 2017 | 18:56h | UTCCommentaries: Drivers not always told about their prescriptions’ potentially impairing effects – ACP Internist (free)
Research: Cardiovascular Effects of Long‐Term Exposure to Air Pollution
11 Nov, 2017 | 18:33h | UTCCommentaries: Air pollution as great a risk as hypertension, obesity, diabetes for CVD – Cardiovascular Business (free)
WHO guidelines on use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:15h | UTCNews release: Stop using antibiotics in healthy animals to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance (free)
Related Article: Restricting the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals and its associations with antibiotic resistance in food-producing animals and human beings: a systematic review and meta-analysis – The Lancet Planetary Health (free) and Editorial: Antimicrobial use and resistance in animals and human beings (free)
Commentaries: WHO calls for restrictions on use of antibiotics in food animal production – STAT (free) AND WHO Moves to Contain Superbugs on the Farm – Scientific American (free) WHO calls for an end to antibiotic use in healthy animals – CIDRAP (free)
Being overweight or obese is linked with heart disease even without other metabolic risk factors
11 Nov, 2017 | 18:57h | UTCBeing overweight or obese is linked with heart disease even without other metabolic risk factors – NIHR Signal (free)
Original article: Separate and combined associations of obesity and metabolic health with coronary heart disease: a pan-European case-cohort analysis – European Heart Journal (free)
Draft Recommendation: Screening Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:12h | UTCCommentary: New USPSTF Draft Recommendations for Osteoporosis Screening – Medscape (free registration required)
Meta-analysis: Comparisons of Interventions for Preventing Falls in Older Adults
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:09h | UTCComparisons of Interventions for Preventing Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Exercise, Vision Testing and Osteoporosis Evaluation Are Keys To Fall Prevention – Medical Research (free) AND Exercise may be best intervention to prevent falls among elderly, according to new study – MedicalXpress (free) AND Adding other therapy to exercise may be best for fall prevention – Reuters (free) AND How to Prevent Falls in Older Adults – Consumer Reports (free)
Alcohol and Cancer: A Statement of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:08h | UTCCommentaries: Cancer Doctors Cite Risks of Drinking Alcohol – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) AND Cutting back on alcohol can prevent cancers: experts – Reuters (free) ASCO links alcohol to cancer, calls for reduced consumption – eCancer News (free)
Research: Impact of a school plain water access intervention on childhood obesity
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:06h | UTCProjecting the impact of a nationwide school plain water access intervention on childhood obesity: a cost–benefit analysis – Pediatric Obesity (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Making water available to school chilren at lunch may save $13B in health costs – UPI (free) AND Serving water with school lunches could curb obesity, save billions – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND Serving water with school lunches could prevent child, adult obesity: study – MedicalXpress (free)
The Burden of Group B Streptococcus Worldwide for Pregnant Women, Stillbirths, and Children
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:04h | UTCThe Burden of Group B Streptococcus Worldwide for Pregnant Women, Stillbirths, and Children – Clinical Infectious Diseases Supplement (free articles)
Commentaries: Group B Streptococcus infection causes an estimated 150,000 preventable stillbirths and infant deaths every year – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (free) AND Streptococcus vaccine ‘could prevent over 100,000 baby deaths worldwide’ – The Guardian (free)
The Growing Value of Digital Health: Evidence and Impact on Human Health and the Healthcare System
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:07h | UTCCommentary: Study Names Top Apps for Patients to Manage Illnesses – Medscape (free registration required)
“An impressive, in-depth report on digital health, shows how the field is taking hold” (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
Debate: the case for and against screening for breast cancer with mammography
11 Nov, 2017 | 17:00h | UTCDebate: the case for and against screening for breast cancer with mammography
The case for mammography: Routine mammograms do save lives: The Science – The Conversation (free)
The case against mammography: Routine mammograms do not save lives: The research is clear – The Conversation (free)
Related: Make Screening Mammography Personal, Say the French – Medscape (free registration required)
“The debate over breast cancer screening continues, with disagreements about the start age, frequency, mortality effect, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment” (from Medscape)
Research: Association of Warfarin Use With Lower Overall Cancer Incidence
11 Nov, 2017 | 16:56h | UTC“In this population-based cohort study of 1.256.725 persons, there was a significantly lower age- and sex-adjusted incidence rate ratio of cancer among warfarin users vs nonusers”.
Working with influenza-like illness: Presenteeism among health care personnel
6 Nov, 2017 | 14:41h | UTCCommentaries: 4 in 10 healthcare professionals work when they’re sick, risking patients – HealthCare Finance (free) AND Four in 10 Healthcare Personnel Work While Sick – Medscape (free registration required) AND Four in 10 HCPs Work While Experiencing Flu-Like Illness, Says Survey – MPR (free)
Research: Frequent sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the onset of cardiometabolic diseases
6 Nov, 2017 | 14:35h | UTCCommentaries: Just two sugary drinks per week may raise type 2 diabetes risk – Medical News Today (free) AND Sugar-sweetened drinks raise risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome – The Endocrine Society, via EurekAlert (free)
Research: Percutaneous coronary intervention in stable angina (ORBITA)
5 Nov, 2017 | 20:39h | UTCPercutaneous coronary intervention in stable angina (ORBITA): a double-blind, randomised controlled trial – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Small Trial Raises Big Concerns That PCI In Stable Angina Is Just A Placebo – Cardiobrief (free) AND Diving Deep Into The ORBITA Trial – Cardiobrief (free) AND ‘Unbelievable’: Heart Stents Fail to Ease Chest Pain – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) AND ORBITA: PCI Offers No Symptom Improvement Over Sham Procedure – TCTMD (free)
A ‘smart’ approach to performance drugs
5 Nov, 2017 | 20:35h | UTCA ‘smart’ approach to performance drugs – ACP Internist (free)
Related: Growing use of smart drugs by students could be a recipe for disaster – The Conversation (free) AND Brain Hackers Seeking Peak Performance Use Risky Chemical Cocktails: “Smart drugs” are not clinically proven and could be dangerous – Scientific American (free) AND Universities must do more to tackle use of smart drugs, say experts – The Guardian (free) AND Tweaking brains with ‘smart drugs’ to get ahead in Silicon Valley – The Washington Post (free) AND Professors take same ‘smart drugs’ as students to keep up with workloads, claims academic – Independent (free)
Untreatable Gonorrhea Is Rapidly Spreading. Here’s What You Need to Know
5 Nov, 2017 | 20:31h | UTCUntreatable Gonorrhea Is Rapidly Spreading. Here’s What You Need to Know – TIME Health (free)
Australia ends insurance subsidies for naturopathy, homeopathy, and more
5 Nov, 2017 | 20:32h | UTCAustralia ends insurance subsidies for naturopathy, homeopathy, and more – Science-Based Medicine (free)
Bacteria Can Evolve Resistance to Drugs Before Those Drugs Are Used
5 Nov, 2017 | 20:10h | UTCBacteria Can Evolve Resistance to Drugs Before Those Drugs Are Used – The Atlantic (free)
Research: Economic impact of palliative care among elderly cancer patients
5 Nov, 2017 | 19:42h | UTCEconomic impact of palliative care among elderly cancer patients – presented at: 2017 Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium (free abstract)
Commentaries: Palliative Care Associated With Decreased Costs For Patients With Advanced Cancer – Oncology Nurse Advisor (free) AND Early Palliative Care Is Key Driver in Reducing Costs – Medscape (free registration required)
Related study: Effect of Palliative Care on Aggressiveness of End-of-Life Care Among Patients With Advanced Cancer – Journal of Oncology Practice (link to abstract – $ for full-text) AND Commentaries: Palliative Care May Substantially Decrease Health-Care Utilization in Patients With Advanced Cancer – ASCO Post (free) AND End-of-Life Palliative Care Lowered Utilization for Patients With Cancer – AJMC (free)
Related guideline: Integration of Palliative Care Into Standard Oncology Care: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update (free)