TOP 10 Medical News Stories
Mon, April 23 – 10 Stories of The Day!
23 Apr, 2018 | 00:04h | UTC
1 – Report: WHO Expert Consultation on Rabies – World Health Organization (free)
News release: WHO publishes new rabies guidelines and recommendations on lifesaving immunization (free)
2 – Simplifying the use of prognostic information in traumatic brain injury – Journal of Neurosurgery
Part 1: The GCS-Pupils score: an extended index of clinical severity (free)
Part 2: Graphical presentation of probabilities (free)
Commentaries: New Glasgow Coma Scale–Pupils Score and Multifactor Probability Outcome Charts for Use in Patients with TBI – Journal of Neurosurgery, via NewsWise (free) AND New scoring system will speed up assessment of brain injuries – OnMedica (free) AND Glasgow Coma Scale Gets an Eye-Opening Update – Medscape (free registration required)
3 – Revised SAGE recommendation on use of dengue vaccine – World Health Organization (free)
Commentaries: A new dengue vaccine should only be used in people who were previously infected, WHO says – Science (free) AND WHO recommends testing before use of Sanofi’s dengue vaccine – Reuters (free)
4 – Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition – Cephalalgia (free PDF) (via @adamcifu)
News release and website: The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition (free)
Commentary: International Classification of Headache Disorders – The Lancet Neurology (free)
Related Guideline: Bipolar disorder: assessment and management – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (free)
6 – Diagnosis and Management of Primary Aldosteronism: the Endocrine Society guideline 2016 revisited – European Journal of Endocrinology (free)
7 – Review: Hypokalemia: a clinical update – Endocrine Connections (free)
8 – Role of Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Asthma – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (free)
Source: EvidenceAlerts
Editorial: Nitrofurantoin vs Fosfomycin: Rendering a Verdict in a Trial of Acute Uncomplicated Cystitis – JAMA (free)
10 – Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine for the Rapid Reduction of Symptoms of Depression and Suicidality in Patients at Imminent Risk for Suicide: Results of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study – American Journal of Psychiatry (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Intranasal Esketamine Found Effective in Rapid Reduction of Depression, Suicidal Thoughts – Psychiatric News Alert (free) AND Fast-acting benefits of ketamine for depression and suicidality – American Psychiatric Association, via ScienceDaily (free) AND Ketamine ‘shows promise’ in treating depression – OnMedica (free) AND Ketamine Spray Effective for Suicidality, but Abuse Concerns Linger – Medscape (free registration required)
Related: ‘Cautious Optimism’ Marks Outlook for Ketamine, Mood Disorders – Psychiatric News (free)
Fri, April 20 – 10 Stories of The Day!
20 Apr, 2018 | 00:30h | UTC
1 – The “Top 12” Recommendations That Are Reducing Overuse – Choosing Wisely (free) (via @kennylinafp)
Learn more on the Choosing Wisely Initiative and see other lists of low-value practices in Choosing Wisely U.S. / Choosing Wisely UK / Choosing Wisely Australia AND Choosing Wisely Canada
2 – Choosing Wisely Campaigns: A Work in Progress – JAMA (free for a limited period) (via @ChooseWiselyCA see Tweet)
3 – Association of Repeated Measurements With Blood Pressure Control in Primary Care – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Repeat BP Measurements in the Office Are Key, Study Highlights – TCTMD (free) AND Should Blood Pressure Measurement Be Repeated During Primary Care Visit? – MedicalResearch.com (free) AND Second BP Measurement Often Brings Better News – MedPage Today (free registration required) AND Repeated BP Measures Linked to Drop in Initially Elevated BP – Physician’s Weekly (free)
Commentaries: Taking a Standard Prostate Cancer Drug with Food Boosts Impact, Lowers Cost – University of Chicago Medical Center, via NewsWise (free) AND Low-Dose Prostate Drug Can Match Standard Dose, Cut Costs – Medscape (free registration required)
Related: Tackling the High Cost of Cancer Care (free commentaries issued when this paper was first presented at the 2017 ASCO annual meeting)
“Savings per patient could reach as high as $300,000” (from NewsWise)
6 – Debate on systematic reviews and meta-analyses: (via @trished)
Viewpoint 1: Are systematic reviews and meta-analyses still useful research? We are not sure – Intensive Care Medicine (free)
Viewpoint 2: Are systematic reviews and meta-analyses still useful research? Yes (free)
News Release: New Recommended Standard Care for People with Suicide Risk Aims to Fundamentally Improve Suicide Care Delivered Nationwide (free PDF)
Commentary: First-Ever Suicide Prevention Recommendations Released – Medscape (free registration required)
8 – Report: Multimorbidity: a priority for global health research – The Academy of Medical Sciences (free) (via @equitylist)
News Release: Global burden of multiple serious illnesses must be urgently addressed (free)
Commentaries: Burden of patients with multiple diseases could sink health systems around the world, warn medical experts – Independent (free) AND People with multiple health conditions get raw deal, says report – OnMedica (free)
See also: related articles on the Caring for High-Need, High-Cost Patients (free reports, articles and commentaries)
9 – Association of Cannabis With Cognitive Functioning in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA Psychiatry (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Marijuana’s effects on young brains diminish 72 hours after use, research says – CNN (free) AND ‘Poorer Cognitive Functioning’ of Marijuana Users Detailed in New Study – Inverse (free)
10 – British HIV Association Standards of care for people living with HIV 2018 (free)
Commentary: New care standards for HIV aim to boost quality despite funding pressures – OnMedica (free)
Wed, April 18 – 10 Stories of The Day!
18 Apr, 2018 | 01:28h | UTC
Editorials: Preventing Fractures and Falls: A Limited Role for Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements? (free) AND New Prevention Guidelines for Falls and Fractures—Looking Beyond the Letters (free)
Author Interview: USPSTF Recommendation: Calcium and Vitamin D to Prevent Fractures and Interventions to Prevent Falls in Community-Dwelling Adults (free)
Commentaries: Exercise, not vitamins, urged to prevent falls in seniors – MedicalXpress (free) AND Older adults may not need vitamin D to prevent falls and fractures – Reuters (free)
“Many older adults should avoid taking vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent falls and fractures, and focus instead on exercises to improve balance and coordination, U.S. doctors recommend” (from Reuters)
Multimedia (2 minute video): Association Between Newer Antidiabetic Drug Classes and Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes (free)
Commentary: Diabetes drug may not reduce risk of death – Imperial College London (free)
3 – State of Global Air 2018 (free report and interactive website)
Commentaries: Over 7 Billion People Face Unsafe Air: State of Global Air 2018 – Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (free) AND More than 95% of world’s population breathe dangerous air, major study finds – The Guardian (free) AND More than 95% of world’s population breathing unhealthy air, says new report – CNN (free)
4 – Opinion: The Case Against Thrombolytic Therapy in Stroke – By John Mandrola, in Medscape (free registration required)
Related: For Many Strokes, There’s an Effective Treatment. Why Aren’t Some Doctors Offering It? – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
5 – Incremental Benefits and Harms of the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Guideline – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: New blood pressure guidelines may make millions anxious that they’re at risk of heart disease – The Conversation (free) AND New blood pressure guidelines could put lives at risk – The University of Sydney (free)
Related: AAFP Decides to Not Endorse AHA/ACC Hypertension Guideline – American Academy of Family Physicians (free) AND The Hypertension Guideline War Is Not A Fake War – Cardiobrief (free) AND Redefining Hypertension: Assessing the New Blood-Pressure Guidelines – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
6 – Nut consumption and incidence of seven cardiovascular diseases – Heart (free)
Commentary: Nuts May Be Good for the Heart, but Are Hardly a Miracle Food – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
7 – Clinical Guideline Synopsis: Management of Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death Risk Related to Ischemic and Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Original Guideline: 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death – Circulation (free PDF)
9 – Smoking even one cigarette a day raises risk for coronary heart disease – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free) (via @DrFrieden see Tweet)
See original article: Meta-Analysis: Just One Cigarette a Day Seriously Elevates Cardiovascular Risk (free article and commentaries)
10 – Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Emergency Department Visits Associated With Wildfire Smoke Exposure in California in 2015 – Journal of the American Heart Association (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Air quality linked to cardiac ‘events,’ heart disease patients unaware – Reuters (free) AND Wildfire smoke associated with more ER visits for heart, stroke ailments among seniors – American Heart Association, via ScienceDaily (free)
Thu, April 19 – 10 Stories of The Day!
19 Apr, 2018 | 01:40h | UTC
Editorial: The Value in an Ambulatory Blood-Pressure Registry (free)
Commentaries: Value of Ambulatory BP Monitoring Bolstered by Large Study – TCTMD (free) AND 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements strongly predict mortality – The Hospitalist (free) AND Expert reaction to study looking at blood pressure measurement method and predicting risk of heart disease – Science Media Centre (free)
Editorial: Gene Therapy as a Curative Option for β-Thalassemia (free)
Quick Take Video Summary: LentiGlobin Gene Therapy for β-Thalassemia (free)
Commentaries: Gene therapy could free some people from a lifetime of blood transfusions – MIT Technology Review (free) AND Gene Therapy For Inherited Blood Disorder Reduced Transfusions – NPR (free) AND Expert reaction to study on gene therapy for beta-thalassaemia – Science Media Centre (free)
3 – A randomized trial of normothermic preservation in liver transplantation – Nature (free PDF for a limited period)
Commentaries: Room temperature liver storage technique improves transplant success – University of Oxford (free) AND Keeping livers ‘alive’ boosts transplant success, trial finds – BBC (free) AND A ‘breakthrough in organ preservation’: Study shows keeping livers warm helps preserve them for transplant – STAT (free)
4 – Viewpoint: Another Nail in the Coffin for Fish Oil Supplements – JAMA (free for a limited period)
5 – Time to challenge the spurious hierarchy of systematic over narrative reviews? – European Journal of Clinical Investigation (free) (via @kennylinafp and @Abraham_RMI)
Editorial: Closed loop systems in type 1 diabetes (free for a limited period)
7 – First-line drugs for hypertension – Cochrane Library (free)
Summary: Thiazides best first choice for hypertension – Cochrane Library (free)
“First-line low-dose thiazides reduced all morbidity and mortality outcomes in adult patients with moderate to severe primary hypertension. First-line ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers may be similarly effective, but the evidence was of lower quality”.
8 – Transradial versus transfemoral approach for diagnostic coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention in people with coronary artery disease – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
“Transradial approach for diagnostic coronary angiography or PCI (or both) in CAD may reduce short-term net adverse clinical events, cardiac death, all-cause mortality, bleeding, and access site complications”.
Related Guidelines: Clinical practice guidelines for the use of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and noninvasive continuous positive airway pressure in the acute care setting – Canadian Medical Association Journal (free) AND BTS/ICS guideline for the ventilatory management of acute hypercapnic respiratory failure in adults – Thorax (free)
Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
10 – Association Between Baseline LDL-C Level and Total and Cardiovascular Mortality After LDL-C Lowering: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Patients With Highest LDL Levels Benefit Most From Lipid-Lowering Drugs – MedicalResearch.com (free) AND New Study Finds that Statins Prevent Cardiovascular Deaths – Science Based Medicine (free) AND Meta-Analysis: ‘Floor’ for Lipid-Lowering Mortality Benefits May Be Real – MedPage Today (free registration required)
“In meta-analyses of LDL-C lowering drug trials, we found that total and cardiovascular mortality were reduced only when the mean baseline LDL-C in the trial was >100 mg/dl” (from MedicalResearch.com)
Tue, April 17 – 10 Stories of The Day!
17 Apr, 2018 | 01:23h | UTC
Source: Hospital Medicine Virtual Journal Club
Commentary: Atrial Fibrillation beyond “All or None”: The Missing Piece in Understanding Atrial Fibrillation? (free)
Top Ten Things to Know: Atrial Fibrillation Burden—Moving Beyond AF as a Binary Entity (free PDF)
Commentaries: AACR 2018: Combination therapy doubles survival in metastatic lung cancer – eCancer News (free) AND Lung Cancer Patients Live Longer With Immune Therapy – New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Commentaries: ‘Night owls’ slightly more likely to die sooner than ‘early birds’ – NHS Choices (free) AND Why being a night owl may lead to earlier death – VOX (free) AND Night Owls Could Face Higher Risk Of Premature Death, Study Suggests – Forbes (free)
6 – Acid‐suppressive drugs and risk of kidney disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis – Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Source: Hospital Medicine Virtual Journal Club
Proton pump inhibitors were associated with higher risks of acute interstitial nephritis (HR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.25‐6.17), acute kidney injury (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.33‐2.59), chronic kidney disease (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.03‐2.09), and end‐stage renal disease (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.26‐2.04) than non‐PPI therapy. Similar risks were not identified for H2RA therapy.
Commentary: Mental disorders among leading causes of illness in children worldwide – BioMed Central, via ScienceDaily (free)
8 – Richard Lehman’s journal review, 16 April 2018 – The BMJ Opinion (free)
Richard Lehman reviews the latest research in the top medical journals.
9 – New Series from The Lancet Journals: Preconception health (free registration required)
Commentaries: Obese couples could be risking health of future children, studies say – The Guardian (free) AND Parents’ Preconception Well-Being Affects Child’s Future Health – Medscape (free registration required)
Commentary: AASM: Ridesharing Industry Needs to Do More to Promote Safety – MPR (free)
Mon, April 16 – 10 Stories of The Day!
16 Apr, 2018 | 00:03h | UTC
Editorial: Thresholds for safer alcohol use might need lowering (free)
Commentaries: Drinking a pint of beer may lower your life expectancy by the same amount as smoking a cigarette – new research – The Conversation (free) AND Expert reaction to study looking at drinking alcohol, life expectancy and alcohol limits – Science Media Centre (free) AND More than six weekly glasses of wine could curb life expectancy by up to five years – OnMedica (free) AND Consuming more than five drinks a week could shorten your life – University of Cambridge, via ScienceDaily (free) AND How much alcohol is too much? A new study says it’s found the number – PBS News Hour (free)
2 – Short-term Elevation of Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Acute Lower Respiratory Infection – American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Brief SExposure to Tiny Air Pollution Particles Triggers Childhood Lung Infections – Intermountain Medical Center, via NewsWise (free) AND Spikes in air pollution can heighten risk of chest infections, research suggests – The Guardian (free) AND Air Pollution May Pose Serious Risks to Young Children – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) AND Short-Term Pollution Spikes Trigger Lung Infections in Young Kids – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Related guideline: Care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (free)
Related: Non-profit’s $300 hepatitis C cure as effective as $84,000 alternative – The Guardian (free) AND Hepatitis C: simplified curative treatments can drive global scale-up – World Health Organization (free)
5 – Association of Survival With Adherence to the American Cancer Society Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors After Colon Cancer Diagnosis: The CALGB 89803/Alliance Trial – JAMA Oncology (free for a limited period)
Editorial: Helping Colorectal Cancer Survivors Benefit From Changing Lifestyle Behaviors: Implementation Science and Private Industry Collaboration to the Rescue (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Colon Cancer Patients Who Follow a Healthy Lifestyle Have Longer Survival – NEJM Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Adherence to ACS Guidelines Linked to Survival in Colon Cancer – Physician’s Briefing (free)
Commentaries: Sitting Is Bad for Your Brain – Not Just Your Metabolism or Heart – University of California – Los Angeles, via NewsWise (free) AND Could Too Much Sitting Possibly Make Your Brain Thinner? – Forbes (free)
7 – n−3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease – New England Journal of Medicine (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Omega-3s From Fish Oil Supplements No Better Than Placebo for Dry Eye – NIH, National Eye Institute (NEI), via NewsWise (free) AND Fish oil capsules don’t help dry eye symptoms, study finds – STAT (free) AND Fish oil supplements ineffective against dry eye – Reuters (free)
8 – The Clinical Trial Is Open. The Elderly Need Not Apply – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Related: Cardiac Patients in Trials Don’t Reflect Real-World Populations (link to abstract and commentaries on the subject)
“There’s a shocking lack of data on effective treatments for older people. So what do doctors do? Make guesses”. (via @NYTHealth see Tweet)
9 – Gallstones: Watch and wait, or intervene? – Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine (free)
“Consider laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis, expectant management for asymptomatic cases”.
Commentaries: Insecticide-resistant malaria vectors must be tackled – The Lancet (free) AND Advanced insecticidal nets protect against malaria, study shows – CIDRAP News Scan for Apr 12, 2018 (free) AND ‘Resistance breaking’ mosquito net provides children with greater protection against malaria – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (free)
“The novel net nearly halves malaria infection rate in Tanzanian children compared to standard long-lasting pyrethroid nets” (from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Fri, April 13 – 10 Stories of The Day!
13 Apr, 2018 | 00:02h | UTC
Commentary: Taking the Good With the Bad – Assigning Value and Blame to the Right Heart in Cardiovascular Disease (free)
Top Ten Things to Know: Evaluation and Management of Right-Sided Heart Failure (free PDF)
News release: WHO and UNICEF issue new guidance to promote breastfeeding in health facilities globally (free)
Related guideline: Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in facilities providing maternity and newborn services – World Health Organization (free)
Commentary: Hospitals must support breastfeeding which saves lives – WHO, UNICEF – Reuters (free)
Commentary: Meta-Analysis Favors Antibiotics After Drainage of Skin Abscesses – NEJM Journal Watch (free)
See related guideline with infographic: Antibiotics after incision and drainage for uncomplicated skin abscesses: a clinical practice guideline – The BMJ (free) AND Meta-Analysis: Antibiotics for uncomplicated skin abscesses: systematic review and network meta-analysis – BMJ Open (free)
Commentary: Behcet’s Syndrome: Treatment Guidelines Updated – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Editorial: The benefits of taxing cigarettes in middle income countries (free)
See also: To Improve Global Health, Tax the Things that are Killing Us (free policies, articles and commentaries) AND The Lancet Taskforce on NCDs and economics (free registration required for all articles and commentaries)
7 – Last Month in Oncology with Dr. Bishal Gyawali: March 2018 – eCancer News (free)
Commentaries: Flu and pneumonia infections increase risk of having a heart attack and stroke – European Respiratory Foundation, via Eurekalert (free) AND Do Pneumococcal and Respiratory Virus Infections Trigger Cardiovascular Morbidity? – NEJM Journal Watch (free for a limited period)
See also: related study published recently showing a similar six-fold increase in myocardial infarctions in the week following a flu diagnosis (link to abstract and commentaries).
9 – Advanced machine learning in action: identification of intracranial hemorrhage on computed tomography scans of the head with clinical workflow integration – NPJ Digital Medicine (free) (via @EricTopol see Tweet)
10 – Risk of Unnatural Mortality in People With Epilepsy – JAMA Neurology (free for a limited period)
Editorial: Deaths in Epilepsy: What We Are Missing (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Patients with epilepsy have greater risk of unnatural death – OnMedica (free) AND Epilepsy Diagnosis Tied to Suicide, Accident Risk – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Thu, April 12 – 10 Stories of The Day!
12 Apr, 2018 | 00:02h | UTC
1 – Zika Virus Shedding in Semen of Symptomatic Infected Men – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
Editorial: Virus in Semen and the Risk of Sexual Transmission (free)
Commentaries: New findings on Zika virus in semen may alter CDC guidance – CIDRAP (free) AND Study suggests risk of sexual transmission of Zika may dissipate quickly – STAT (free)
Source: New Clinical Practice Guidelines, April 2018 Edition – Medscape (free registration required)
Related guideline: Clinical practice guideline: management of acute pancreatitis – Canadian Journal of Surgery (free)
3 – Guideline: Lyme disease – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (free)
News release: New advice will help doctors spot and treat Lyme disease early, says NICE (free)
Commentaries: Don’t lose sleep over reports that one bad night can spark dementia – NHS Choices (free) AND One night of sleep deprivation leads to increase in Alzheimer’s protein – New Atlas (free) AND Expert reaction to study investigating sleep deprivation and amyloid build up – Science Media Centre (free)
5 – Long-term risk of dementia among people with traumatic brain injury in Denmark: a population-based observational cohort study – The Lancet Psychiatry (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Study confirms link between traumatic brain injury and dementia – UW Medicine, via EurekAlert (free) AND Traumatic brain injury increases risk of dementia – OnMedica (free) AND Brain injury may increase dementia risk – NHS Choices (free)
Related articles: Traumatic brain injury and the risk of dementia diagnosis: A nationwide cohort study – PLOS One (free) AND Clinicopathological Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Players of American Football – JAMA (free)
Commentaries: Scientists Push Plan To Change How Researchers Define Alzheimer’s – NPR (free) AND Researchers Propose New Alzheimer’s Definition Based on Biomarkers – MedPage Today (free registration required) AND New biological research framework for Alzheimer’s seeks to spur discovery – NIH / National Institute on Aging, via EurekAlert (fee)
7 – Guideline: Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency – American Urological Association (free)
Commentary: AUA: New Guidelines for Diagnosis, Management of Testosterone Deficiency – MPR (free)
Related Guideline: Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline – The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (free)
Commentaries: FDA’s Proposed Sodium Reduction Plan Could Have a Big Impact, Analysis Suggests – TCTMD (free) AND US FDA sodium reformulation targets projected to save lives and costs – PLOS, via EurekAlert (free) AND Study highlights the health and economic benefits of a US salt reduction strategy – University of Liverpool (free)
9 – Investing in non-communicable disease prevention and management to advance the Sustainable Development Goals – The Lancet (free registration required)
See complete series: The Lancet Taskforce on NCDs and economics (free registration required for articles and commentaries)
“Economic case to #BeatNCDs: benefit-cost ratio of investing in prevention and treatment of #NCDs is 5.6 for economic returns – 10.9 if social returns are included” (via @TheLancet see Tweet)
10 – Effectiveness of preventive cognitive therapy while tapering antidepressants versus maintenance antidepressant treatment versus their combination in prevention of depressive relapse or recurrence (DRD study): a three-group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial – The Lancet Psychiatry (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Preventive cognitive therapy is an effective alternative and addition to antidepressants for preventing depression relapse, study finds – ACP Internist (free) AND Preventive Cognitive Therapy Helps Limit Depression Recurrence – NEJM Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Depression: preventive cognitive therapy improves outcome in recurrent depression – Univadis (free registration required)
Tue, April 10 – 10 Stories of The Day!
10 Apr, 2018 | 00:02h | UTC
1 – Clinical Practice Guideline: Iron Deficient Anemia – Toward Optimized Practice (TOP) (free PDF)
See also: Summary and Algorithm (free PDF)
Related: see all TOP Clinical Practice Guidelines, a practical resource for Family Physicians at the point of care.
2 – Dialysis Initiation and Mortality Among Older Veterans With Kidney Failure Treated in Medicare vs the Department of Veterans Affairs – JAMA Internal Medicine (free for a limited period)
Invited commentary: Appropriate Time for Chronic Dialysis Initiation: A Cause for Humility (free for a limited period)
Related articles: Treatment decisions for older adults with advanced chronic kidney disease – BMC Nephrology (free) AND Timing of Dialysis Initiation – What Has Changed Since IDEAL? – Seminars in Nephrology (free)
3 – Childhood predictors of lung function trajectories and future COPD risk: a prospective cohort study from the first to the sixth decade of life – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related article: Lung function trajectories from pre-school age to adulthood and their associations with early life factors: a retrospective analysis of three population-based birth cohort studies – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Three-quarters of COPD cases are linked to childhood risk factors that are exacerbated in adulthood – The Lancet, via ScienceDaily (free) AND Early intervention may minimise later lung problems – The Melbourne Newsroom (free) AND COPD Risk Factors Evident Early in Life – NEJM Physician’s First Watch (free)
4 – Seminar: Malaria – The Lancet (free registration required)
5 – Perspective: Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Commentaries: Quitting Facebook can reduce stress – University of Queensland (free) AND Giving up Facebook leads to a drop in the stress-related hormone cortisol, study finds – PsyPost (free) AND Does Quitting Facebook Really Make You Less Happy? Probably Not – Forbes (free) AND Want to de-stress? Delete Facebook, study suggests – Medical News Today (free)
7 – Alpha-blockers as medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Summary: Alpha-blockers for ureteral stones in adult patients with symptoms of stone disease – Cochrane Library (free)
9 – AHA Policy Statement: Projected Costs of Informal Caregiving for Cardiovascular Disease: 2015 to 2035 – Circulation (free)
Commentary: Skyrocketing Costs of CVD Will Be Amplified by Informal Caregiving: AHA – TCTMD (free)
10 – Pharmaceutical Industry Payments and Oncologists’ Selection of Targeted Cancer Therapies in Medicare Beneficiaries – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Payments to Doctors Linked to Prescription Practices for Two Cancer Types – University of North Carolina (free) AND Pharma Dollars Appear to Sway Oncologist Rx Habits – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Wed, April 11 – 10 Stories of The Day!
11 Apr, 2018 | 00:07h | UTC
Editorial: Toward a United States of Health: Implications of Understanding the US Burden of Disease (free)
Author interview: US Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Disease Risk Factors, 1990-2016 (free)
Commentaries: Warning Signs: New US Health Study Reveals ‘Dangerous Disparities’ among States – Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (free) AND The states where disease and death are highest: A visual guide – CNN (free)
“NEW global burden of disease study on US health is most comprehensive state-by-state health assessment ever undertaken & includes estimates for all 50 states & Washington DC & the nation overall” (via @IHME_UW see Tweet)
2 – Associations of Fitness, Physical Activity, Strength, and Genetic Risk With Cardiovascular Disease: Longitudinal Analyses in the UK Biobank Study – Circulation (free PDF for a limited period)
Commentaries: Outrunning Your Genes: Exercise Offsets CVD Events Among High-Risk Subjects – TCTMD (free) AND When heart disease runs in the family, exercise tied to lower risk – Reuters (free)
3 – Honey for acute cough in children – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Summary: Honey for acute cough in children – Cochrane Library (free)
“Honey probably relieves cough symptoms to a greater extent than no treatment, diphenhydramine, and placebo, but may make little or no difference compared to dextromethorphan.”
Commentary: Pasta unlikely to cause weight gain as part of a healthy diet – NHS Choices (free)
Commentaries: Weight loss is an important predictor of cancer – University of Oxford (free)
Source: Global Health NOW Newsletter
9 – EASL Recommendations on Treatment of Hepatitis C 2018 – Journal of Hepatology (free)
10 – Associations Between Brain Structure and Connectivity in Infants and Exposure to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors During Pregnancy – JAMA Pediatrics (free for a limited period)
Author interview: Associations Between SSRI Exposure During Pregnancy and MRI-Assessed Brain Structure and Connectivity in Infants (free)
Commentaries: We’re beginning to learn how moms’ antidepressants can affect fetuses – VOX (free) AND MRI study finds prenatal exposure to certain antidepressants may alter brain development – Health Imaging (free) AND SSRI use in pregnancy may affect fetal brain development – OnMedica (free) AND Antidepressants in pregnancy tied to changes in babies’ brains – Reuters (free)
Fri, April 6 – 10 Stories of The Day!
6 Apr, 2018 | 02:34h | UTC
Commentary: New guidance for safe opioid prescribing for hospitalized patients with acute pain – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, via EurekAlert (free)
2 – Guideline: Regional Anesthesia in the Patient Receiving Antithrombotic or Thrombolytic Therapy: American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (free)
3 – Guideline: Interventional Spine and Pain Procedures in Patients on Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Medications – American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (free)
4 – Meta-analysis: Nasal vs Oronasal CPAP for OSA Treatment – CHEST (free)
Source: EvidenceAlerts
5 – Management of Patients With Aortic Valve Stenosis – Mayo Clinic Proceedings (free)
Commentary: Bananas vs. Sports Drinks? Bananas Win in Study – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Commentary: Sleep deficiency increases risk of a motor vehicle crash – Brigham and Women’s Hospital, via ScienceDaily (free)
“Study finds that sleep deficiency due to either sleep apnea or insufficient sleep duration is strongly associated with motor vehicle crashes, regardless of one’s self-reported sleepiness level” (from ScienceDaily)
Commentaries: ACR Recommends More Aggressive Breast Cancer Screening for Higher-Than-Average-Risk Women – Imaging Technology News (free) AND New ACR/SBI Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Call for Significant Changes to Screening Process – American College of Radiology, via NewsWise (free)
See related guideline with a more conservative approach: Breast Cancer: Screening – U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (free)
Related guideline: 2018 Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association (free PDF)
Commentary: Seven-year follow-up shows lasting cognitive gains from meditation – University of California, via ScienceDaily (free)
Mon, April 9 – 10 Stories of The Day!
9 Apr, 2018 | 01:25h | UTC
1 – World Health Day (7 April 2018) – World Health Organization (free resources)
See also: Campaign Essentials / Key Messages / and WHO’s Universal Health Coverage Website
WHO’s theme for this year world health day is Universal Health Coverage. “Health is a human right. It’s time for Universal Health Coverage for everyone, everywhere”. (via @WHO see Tweet)
2 – New Series from The Lancet Journals: The Lancet Taskforce on NCDs and economics (free registration required for all articles and commentaries)
Commentaries: Tax sugar, alcohol and tobacco to help the poor, say experts – The Guardian (free) AND Taxes on soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco are of most benefit to the poor – Imperial College London (free)
See also: To Improve Global Health, Tax the Things that are Killing Us (free policies, articles and commentaries)
4 – Physiotherapy education before major abdominal surgery reduces lung complications – NIHR Signal (free)
See original article: Preoperative physiotherapy for the prevention of respiratory complications after upper abdominal surgery: pragmatic, double blinded, multicentre randomised controlled trial – The BMJ (free)
5 – Guideline summaries: 2018 ESC Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Syncope – American College of Cardiology (free) AND Practical Instructions for the 2018 ESC Syncope Guidelines – American College of Cardiology (free)
Original Documents: 2018 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of syncope (free) AND Practical Instructions for the 2018 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of syncope (free)
6 – “A Guide to Gutsy Living”: Patient-Driven Development of a Pediatric Ostomy Toolkit – Pediatrics (free)
Commentary: New guide helps kids, adolescents living with ostomies – Reuters (free)
7 – Percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Summary: Featured Review: Vertebroplasty for treating spinal fractures due to osteoporosis – Cochrane Library (free)
“High quality evidence shows that vertebroplasty does not provide more clinically important benefits than placebo but may cause people harm”.
8 – EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on hepatitis E virus infection – Journal of Hepatology (free)
10 – Outpatient Talc Administration by Indwelling Pleural Catheter for Malignant Effusion – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text) (see Visual Abstract)
Commentary: Outpatient talc administration improves malignant effusion outcomes – Chest Physician (free)
Wed, April 4 – 10 Stories of The Day!
4 Apr, 2018 | 00:07h | UTC
1 – Association of a Negative Wealth Shock With All-Cause Mortality in Middle-aged and Older Adults in the United States – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Financial Ruin Can Be Hazardous To Your Health – NPR (free) AND Losing your nest egg can kill you – Northwestern University, via ScienceDaily (free)
“People have a 50 percent higher risk of death if they suffer a shocking financial loss” (via ScienceDaily)
Commentaries: Babies At Risk Of Being Put In Unsafe Sleep Positions By Babysitters And Relatives, Study Suggests – HuffPost (free) AND Infant death study reveals dangerous sleep practices among babysitters, relatives, others – University of Virginia Health System, via ScienceDaily (free)
Related Guideline: SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment – Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, American Academy of Pediatrics (free)
3 – Hospitals are germy, noisy places. Some acutely ill patients are getting treated at home instead – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
Source: STAT Newsletter
4 – Paying Hospitals To Keep People Out Of Hospitals? It Works In Maryland – Kaiser Health News (free)
5 – Serum n–6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of death: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: High omega-6 levels can protect against premature death – University of Eastern Finland, via EurekAlert (free) AND Could omega-6 fatty acids help us live longer? – MedicalNewsToday (free) AND Omega-6s in Nuts, Seeds and Vegetable Oils May Aid the Heart – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Related: More Controversy Over Major Cardiology Clinical Trial – Cardiobrief (free) AND Cardiology World Erupts Into Controversy Over Change In Major Clinical Trial – Cardiobrief (free) AND Moving the Goalposts Into Unblinded Territory – Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes (free)
7 – Richard Lehman’s journal reviews, 3 April 2018 – The BMJ Opinion (free)
Richard Lehman reviews the latest research in the top medical journals.
8 – Acute chest pain evaluation using coronary computed tomography angiography compared with standard of care: a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials – Heart (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
See commentary in: Articles of the month (March 2018) – First10EM (free)
Se related meta-analysis with similar results: Outcomes of non-invasive diagnostic modalities for the detection of coronary artery disease: network meta-analysis of diagnostic randomised controlled trials – The BMJ (free)
“Bottom line: In the RCTs we have to date, CCTA demonstrate no benefit, but leads to an increase in unnecessary invasive procedures” (from First10EM).
Commentary: Migraines tied to higher risk for stroke, MI in large meta-analysis – Univadis (free registration required)
10 – Effects of supplemental oxygen therapy in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials – Heart (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related guideline: BTS Guideline for oxygen use in healthcare and emergency settings – British Thoracic Society (free)
“These findings from eight RCTs support departing from the usual practice of administering oxygen in normoxaemic patients”.
Thu, April 5 – 10 Stories of The Day!
5 Apr, 2018 | 00:38h | UTC
Commentary: Promoting Physical Activity in Routine Health Care: Time to Walk the Talk (free)
Top Ten Things to Know: Routine Assessment and Promotion of Physical Activity in Healthcare Settings (free PDF)
2 – Tax sugar, alcohol and tobacco to help the poor, say experts – The Guardian (free)
See also: To Improve Global Health, Tax the Things that are Killing Us (free policies, articles and commentaries)
3 – Preconception Blood Pressure Levels and Reproductive Outcomes in a Prospective Cohort of Women Attempting Pregnancy – Hypertension (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Higher blood pressure before pregnancy may increase miscarriage risk – American Heart Association, via ScienceDaily (free) AND High blood pressure before pregnancy linked to heightened miscarriage risk – OnMedica (free) AND Slightly high blood pressure before pregnancy tied to miscarriage risk – Reuters (free) AND Higher Blood Pressure Before Conception Tied to Miscarriage – MedPage Today (free registration required)
4 – Postnatal Zika virus infection is associated with persistent abnormalities in brain structure, function, and behavior in infant macaques – Science Translational Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Monkey study suggests Zika infection in infancy could cause brain damage – STAT (free) AND Zika Exposure Even after Birth May Lead to Brain Damage – Scientific American (free)
5 – Associations of Bariatric Surgery With Changes in Interpersonal Relationship Status: Results From 2 Swedish Cohort Studies – JAMA Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Relationship changes after bariatric surgery – University of Gothenburg, via EurekAlert (free) AND Big weight loss may bring big relationship changes – UPI (free)
6 – Time to Endovascular Treatment and Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke: MR CLEAN Registry Results – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Time to endovascular therapy predicted functional outcome after stroke in registry study – ACP Hospitalist (free)
“Every hour of delay from stroke onset to the start of endovascular therapy resulted in a 5.3% decreased probability of functional independence” (from ACP Hospitalist)
7 – Change in Overweight from Childhood to Early Adulthood and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Heavy kids who normalize weight in childhood can avoid extra diabetes risk – Reuters (free) AND Normalizing Weight By Puberty May Drop Diabetes Risk Later – Medscape (free registration required)
8 – Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab versus Sunitinib in Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma – NEJM (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Quick Take Video Summary: Sunitinib or Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab for Renal-Cell Carcinoma (free)
“Overall survival and objective response rates were significantly higher with nivolumab plus ipilimumab”.
9 – Review: Management of Left Main Coronary Artery Disease – Journal of the American Heart Association (free for a limited period)
“New work in @bmj_latest shows poverty increases ageing. Measured by walking speed. 60 y.o. men of lower social class walk like 66 y.o. men of higher social class. As important as physical inactivity, obesity or diabetes. Worse than smoking”. (via @astaines see Tweet)
Tue, April 3 – 10 Stories of The Day!
3 Apr, 2018 | 01:12h | UTC
1 – Guideline Summary: Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Management: Review of the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2018 – Annals of Internal Medicine (free)
2 – Association Between Use of Acid-Suppressive Medications and Antibiotics During Infancy and Allergic Diseases in Early Childhood – JAMA Pediatrics (free for a limited period)
Author interview: Association Between Use of Acid-Suppressive Medications and Antibiotics During Infancy And Allergic Diseases in Early Childhood (free)
Commentaries: Antacids, antibiotics for infants linked to later allergies – STAT (free) AND Antacids, antibiotics for infants linked to later allergies – Associated Press (free) AND Giving Babies Antibiotics or Antacids May Increase Allergy Risk – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
3 – ‘Aggressive’ New Advance Directive Would Let Dementia Patients Refuse Food – Kaiser Health News (free)
See website: End of Life Choices
Related initiatives: This Startup Makes End-Of-Life Planning A Piece Of Cake (free) AND New Document for Patients: Advanced Health Directive for Dementia (free document and commentaries)
Commentaries: Study Suggests E-cigarettes Cause More Harm Than Good – AAFP News (free)
“Some Adults May Quit Smoking Traditional Cigarettes, But More Teens and Young Adults Will Start” (from AAFP)
Commentaries: Mindfulness training in higher education students – The Lancet (free) AND Mindfulness may help university students reduce stress – The Mental Elf (free)
7 – Summary: Clinician Guide to the ABCs of Primary and Secondary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease – American College of Cardiology (free)
8 – Review: Diagnosis and Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke – Mayo Clinic Proceedings (free)
Related guideline: 2018 Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association (free PDF) AND Summary for ED-relevant care: 2018 AHA/ASA Ischemic Stroke Updates – emDocs (free)
9 – Review: Mechanisms and Management of Acute Pancreatitis – Gastroenterology Research and Practice (free)
Source: Critical Care Reviews Newsletter
Related study: Big Swings in Daily Temperatures Linked to Spikes in MI Rates – TCTMD (free)
“Cold and hot weather associated with risk of cardiovascular disease hospitalization” (via @kamleshkhunti see Tweet)
Mon, April 2 – 10 Stories of The Day!
2 Apr, 2018 | 00:33h | UTC
1 – Moderate‐to‐Vigorous Physical Activity and All‐Cause Mortality: Do Bouts Matter? – Journal of the American Heart Association (free for a limited period)
Editorial: Accumulation of Moderate‐to‐Vigorous Physical Activity and All‐Cause Mortality (free)
Commentaries: Whether sustained or sporadic, exercise offers same reductions in premature death risk – Duke University Medical Center, via ScienceDaily (free) AND Get 150 minutes/week of moderate physical activity: It doesn’t matter how – National Cancer Institute (free) AND Every bit of exercise counts in reducing risk of early death: Study – CBC (free) AND Those 2-Minute Walk Breaks? They Add Up – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Commentaries: Mindfulness Intervention Can Prevent Depression, Study Finds – Mad in America (free) AND Could mindfulness prevent major depression? – Medical News Today (free) AND Meditation May Reduce Depression in Primary Care – Medscape (free registration required)
4 – Viewpoint: Charter on Physician Well-being – JAMA (free)
5 – To Combat Physician Burnout and Improve Care, Fix the Electronic Health Record – Harvard Business Review (a few articles per month are free)
Related: Care-Centered Clinical Documentation in the Digital Environment: Solutions to Alleviate Burnout – National Academy of Medicine (free) AND Date Night with the EHR – NEJM Catalyst (free) AND Why Physician Burnout Is Endemic, and How Health Care Must Respond – NEJM Catalyst (free) AND Putting Patients First by Reducing Administrative Tasks in Health Care: A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians (free)
6 – Report: Securing safe roads: the politics of change – World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (free news release and PDF)
Commentary: Death Toll On World’s Roads Grows, But Not Will To Stop It, New Report Finds – Forbes (free)
Related World Bank Report: The High Toll of Traffic Injuries : Unacceptable and Preventable – The World Bank (free PDF)
Related WHO Report: Save LIVES: a road safety technical package (free)
Source: International Health Policies Newsletter (free PDF)
7 – Mapped: the global epidemic of ‘lifestyle’ disease in charts – The Telegraph (free) (via @kamleshkhunti see Tweet)
8 – Illustrative Teaching Case: Oral Contraceptives and Ischemic Stroke Risk – Stroke (free for a limited period)
Key points: Oral Contraceptives and Ischemic Stroke Risk – American College of Cardiology (free)
9 – Macrolide antibiotics for bronchiectasis – Cochrane Library (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Summary: Macrolide antibiotics for bronchiectasis – Cochrane Library (free)
“Long-term macrolide therapy may reduce the frequency of exacerbations and improve quality of life, although supporting evidence is derived mainly from studies of azithromycin, rather than other macrolides, and predominantly among adults rather than children. However, macrolides should be used with caution, as limited data indicate an associated increase in microbial resistance”.
10 – The most affected health domains after ischemic stroke – Neurology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Stroke affects more than just the physical – American Academy of Neurology, via EurekAlert (free) AND Physical, Executive Function Most Affected After Ischemic Stroke – Physician’s Weekly (free) AND Nonphysical Problems Common After Stroke – Medscape (free registration required) AND Mild Stroke Alters Far More Than the Physical – MedPage Today (free)
“Mild disability still comes with social, cognitive impact, study suggests” (from MedPage Today)
Thu, March 29 – 10 Stories of The Day!
29 Mar, 2018 | 00:54h | UTC
1 – Guideline: Otitis media (acute): antimicrobial prescribing – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (free)
Commentaries: Most common ear infections should not be treated with antibiotics, says NICE (free) AND Common ear infections don’t need antibiotics, health watchdog says – The Guardian (free) AND Antibiotics not recommended for acute otitis, says NICE – OnMedica (free)
Related guideline: Clinical Practice Guideline: Otitis Media with Effusion (Update) – Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg (free) AND Executive Summary – Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg (free)
2 – Guideline: Stop smoking interventions and services – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (free)
Commentaries: Help people make informed decisions when they want to quit smoking, says NICE and Public Health England – NICE News Release (free) AND Doctors should tell patients e-cigarettes ‘less harmful than smoking but not without risk’ – iNews (free)
Related guidelines and reports: E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products: evidence review – Public Health England (free PDF) AND Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (free PDF) AND E-cigarettes: balancing risks and opportunities – British Medical Association (free PDF) AND Nicotine without smoke: Tobacco harm reduction – Royal College of Physicians (free summary and PDF) AND RCGP Position Statement on the use of electronic nicotine vapour products (E-Cigarettes) – Royal College of General Practitioners (free PDF)
3 – Safety and mosquitocidal efficacy of high-dose ivermectin when co-administered with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in Kenyan adults with uncomplicated malaria (IVERMAL): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial – The Lancet Infectious Diseases (free registration required)
Commentaries: Ivermectin: repurposing an old drug to complement malaria vector control – The Lancet Infectious Diseases (free registration required) AND LSTM study shows drug that kills mosquitoes could be used to fight malaria – London School of Tropical Medicine (free) AND Common anti-parasitic could be new tool for malaria control – OnMedica (free)
4 – Psychosocial Effects of Parent-Child Book Reading Interventions: A Meta-analysis – Pediatrics (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Reading programs may teach parents and kids more than literacy – Reuters (free) AND Parent-child reading interventions have positive psychosocial effects – 2 Minute Medicine (free)
Commentaries: Cancer patients’ pain eased by simple bedside chart – University of Edinburgh, via ScienceDaily (free) AND Bedside Assessment Tool Improves Worst Pain in Patients With Cancer – Oncology Nurse Advisor (free) AND Effect of Integrated Assessment and Management Tool on Pain Management in Cancer Center Inpatients – The ASCO Post (free)
6 – Last Month in Oncology with Dr. Bishal Gyawali: February 2018 – eCancer News (free)
Commentary: Half of vision impairment in first world is preventable – Cambridge Network (free)
8 – Life After Stroke: a round up of Cochrane evidence – Evidently Cochrane (free)
Commentaries: Combating diabetes in China: a long-term perspective is needed – The Lancet Public Health (free) AND Smoking linked with higher risk of type 2 diabetes – University of Oxford (free)
“Among Chinese adults, smoking associated with 18-33% increased risk of diabetes” (via @kamleshkhunti see Tweet)
Related meta-analysis and commentaries: Prognostic Accuracy of the Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment for Mortality in Patients With Suspected Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text) AND For mortality prediction, qSOFA has poor sensitivity, moderate specificity, review finds – ACP Hospitalist (free) AND Systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria may be more sensitive than quick sequential organ failure assessment for predicting mortality in patients with suspected infection – 2 Minute Medicine (free)
“The SIRS was significantly superior to the qSOFA for sepsis diagnosis, and the qSOFA was slightly better than the SIRS in predicting hospital mortality. The association of both criteria could provide a better model to initiate or escalate therapy in patients with sepsis”.
Fri, March 30 – 10 Stories of The Day!
30 Mar, 2018 | 02:02h | UTC
1 – Duration of Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Stage III Colon Cancer – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Quick Take Video Summary: Duration of Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer (free)
Commentaries: Colon cancer chemo could be halved after surgery – Cancer Research UK, via MedicalXpress (free) AND Global cancer trial sets new standard for post-surgery chemotherapy – National Cancer Institute, via MedicalXpress (free)
2 – Long-term Thromboembolic Risk in Patients With Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery and Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation – JAMA Cardiology (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Postoperative A-fib Not as Bad as Nonsurgical A-fib for Thromboembolism – TCTMD (free) AND Fib after CABG linked to minimal long-term stroke risk – Cardiovascular Business (free)
3 – Venous Thromboembolism Prevention in Emergency General Surgery: A Review – JAMA Surgery (free for a limited period)
Commentary: VTE Risk Up in Most Emergency General Surgery Patients – Physician’s Weekly (free)
4 – Behavioral interventions as a treatment for epilepsy: A multicenter randomized controlled trial – Neurology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Can Learning Stress-Reducing Techniques Help Reduce Seizures? – American Academy of Neurology, via NewsWise (free) AND Stress Reduction Techniques Cut Seizure Rate in Severe Epilepsy – Medscape (free registration required) AND Stress-Reducing Techniques Lead to Fewer Seizures – MedPage Today (free registration required)
6 – What We Know (and Don’t Know) About How to Lose Weight – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
“One conclusion from a much-discussed study: The best diet is the one you can stick to”.
7 – High red and processed meat consumption is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance – Journal of Hepatology (link to abstract – $ for full-text) (via @kamleshkhunti see Tweet)
Commentaries: High Consumption Of Red And Processed Meat Linked to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And Insulin Resistance – EASL (free) AND More People Can Afford Meat Now, And Hepatologists Claim That Is Causing Liver Disease – Science 2.0 (free)
“5-study EHJ meta analysis confirms value of PFO closure after cryptogenic stroke. “Number Needed to Close”: 178 pts to prevent one stroke over 1 year. Size matters (no effect for small shunts, “NNC” 96 for large shunts)” (via @Steph_Achenbach see Tweet)
9 – Report: Multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea in England: 2018 – Public Health England (free)
Commentaries: In world first, UK reports high-level gonorrhea resistance – CIDRAP (free) AND First case of super-resistant gonorrhea reported – CNN (free)
Related: Scientists warn that antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is on the rise – World Health Organization (free) AND Untreatable Gonorrhea Is Rapidly Spreading. Here’s What You Need to Know – TIME Health (free)
Commentaries: Quicker Diuretics Not Associated With Better Outcomes in Acute Heart Failure – TCTMD (free) AND Door-to-Diuretic Time in Acute Heart Failure – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free) AND Door-to-diuretic time didn’t affect mortality from heart failure in Korean registry – ACP Hospitalist (free)
“Overall, there isn’t strong evidence of benefit from early use of diuretics and “the overriding consideration should remain ‘get it right’ rather than ‘do it fast,’” the editorial concluded”. (from ACP)
Wed, March 28 – 10 Stories of The Day!
28 Mar, 2018 | 00:45h | UTC
1 – Special Report: The IARC Perspective on Colorectal Cancer Screening – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
Commentaries: The IARC perspective on colorectal cancer screening – eCancer News (free) AND WHO Group Says Evidence Favors Most Forms of Colorectal Cancer Screening – NEJM Physician’s First Watch (free)
2 – European evidence-based guidelines on pancreatic cystic neoplasms – Gut (free)
3 – The Assessment of Pain in Older People: UK National Guidelines – Age and Ageing (free)
Commentaries: AI is Quicker, More Effective Than Humans in Analyzing Heart Scans – University of California San Francisco (free) AND Study: AI faster, more accurate than humans at analyzing heart scans – UPI (free) AND AI model 98% accurate in ECG classification—outperforming cardiologists – Health Imaging (free)
5 – Efficacy of foot orthoses for the treatment of plantar heel pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis – British Journal of Sports Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Pricey orthotic insoles aren’t worth the cost – UPI (free) AND Custom-Made Foot Orthotics No Benefit for Plantar Heel Pain – Physician’s Briefing (free) AND Custom-made foot orthoses appear to be no better than over-the-counter insoles or other treatments – MedicalXpress (free) AND Foot orthotics may not be superior to conservative treatment for relieving plantar heel pain – ACP Internist (free)
6 – Electronic Health Record Usability Issues and Potential Contribution to Patient Harm – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: EHR Usability Linked to Possible Patient Harms, Study Finds – AJMC (free) AND EHRs May Be Tied to Potential Patient Harm, Study Suggests – Medscape (free registration required)
7 – The human microbiome: why our microbes could be key to our health – The Guardian (free) (via @trished see Tweet)
8 – The Truth Wears Off: Is there something wrong with the scientific method? – The New Yorker (free)
“An excellent New Yorker article on regression to the mean. Extremely relevant to the practice of evidence-based medicine” (via @rajshekharucms see Tweet)
9 – Tele-Monitoring Can Reduce Medical Appointments For Low-Risk Pregnancies – Kaiser Health News (free)
Related commentary: How Mayo Clinic Is Simplifying Prenatal Care for Low-Risk Patients – Harvard Business Review (a few articles per month are free)
Related articles: Effectiveness of Telemonitoring in Obstetrics: Scoping Review – Journal of Medical Internet Research (free) AND Assessing the Effect of mHealth Interventions in Improving Maternal and Neonatal Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review – PLOS One (free)
10 – Global prevalence, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection in 2016: a modelling study – The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (free registration required)
Commentaries: Delineating the global challenges of hepatitis B virus infection – The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (free registration required) AND 1 in 20 people with hepatitis B receive care worldwide, study says – UPI (free) AND Scientists warn 90% of hepatitis B sufferers remain unaware of silent killer – The Guardian (free)
Mon, March 26 – 10 Stories of The Day!
26 Mar, 2018 | 00:01h | UTC
1 – #WorldTBDay (March 24, 2018) – 1 – World TB Day, 24 March 2018 – World Health Organization (free resources)
See also: WHO publications on tuberculosis
2 – #WorldTBDay (March 24, 2018) – The World Health Organization standards for tuberculosis care and management – European Respiratory Journal (free)
Original Guideline: Compendium of WHO guidelines and associated standards: ensuring optimum delivery of the cascade of care for patients with tuberculosis (free PDF)
“My dream of placing all recent and still valid older WHO TB guidelines into a short compendium, to facilitate life of users, is now accomplished. With this booklet, one can access immediately all WHO standards of TB care”. (via @M_Raviglione see Tweet)
3 – #WorldTBDay (March 24, 2018) – The impact of social protection and poverty elimination on global tuberculosis incidence: a statistical modelling analysis of Sustainable Development Goal 1 – The Lancet Global Health (free)
Commentaries: Predicting the effect of improved socioeconomic health determinants on the tuberculosis epidemic – The Lancet Global Health (free) AND Eradicating poverty would dramatically reduce TB cases, study finds – The Guardian (free)
Ending extreme poverty and expanding social protection is estimated to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis by 84.3%.
4 – Guideline: Physical activity and the environment – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (free)
5 – Richard Smith: The dangers of textbooks – The BMJ Opinion (free)
Related: Authors of premier medical textbook didn’t disclose $11 million in industry payments – STAT (free)
Commentaries: New calculations confirm lifestyle changes could prevent 4 in 10 cancer cases – Cancer Research UK (free) AND More than 2,500 cancer cases a week could be avoided – Cancer Research UK (free) AND Four in 10 cancer cases could be prevented by lifestyle changes – The Guardian (free)
7 – Vaccine waning and mumps re-emergence in the United States – Science Translational Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Mumps resurgence likely due to waning vaccine-derived immunity – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (free) AND Mumps Vaccine Effectiveness Declines Over Time. But There’s A Solution – Forbes (free) AND Mumps Vaccine Protection Wanes Over Time, Study Finds – CommonHealth (free) AND Mumps Is On the Rise. A Waning Vaccine Response May Be Why – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
“a booster dose at age 18 should be a straight-forward solution to the problem based on models of how mumps spreads” (from Forbes)
Commentary: Boston Hospital May Have a Solution to IV Bag Shortage – Medscape (free registration required)
9 – Metabolic Slowing and Reduced Oxidative Damage with Sustained Caloric Restriction Support the Rate of Living and Oxidative Damage Theories of Aging – Cell Metabolism (free for a limited period)
Commentaries: Reduced-calorie diet shows signs of slowing ageing in people – Nature News (free) AND Will Cutting Calories Make You Live Longer? – Wired (free) AND Calorie restriction trial in humans suggests benefits for age-related disease – Cell Press, via ScienceDaily (free)
10 – Myocarditis in Patients Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Myocarditis a Risk with Checkpoint Inhibitors – CRTOnline.org (free) AND Myocarditis in Patients Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors – American College of Cardiology, Latest in Cardiology (free)
Related Guidelines: Management of Immune-Related Adverse Events in Patients Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline (free) AND Managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: consensus recommendations from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Toxicity Management Working Group (free)
Tue, March 27 – 10 Stories of The Day!
27 Mar, 2018 | 02:13h | UTC
Commentaries: Calls to rein in antibiotic use after study shows 65% increase worldwide – The Guardian (free) AND Global antibiotic use rises, fueled by economic growth – CIDRAP (free) AND Surge In Antibiotics Is A Boon For Superbugs – NPR (free) AND As antibiotics fail, global consumption of antibiotics skyrockets, further driving drug resistance – MedicalXpress (free)
News release: ACP introduces updated High Value Care Curriculum for educators and residents – ACP Internist (free)
“The High Value Care Curriculum (HVC) was jointly developed by ACP and the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) to train physicians to be good stewards of limited health care resources”.
Commentaries: Ethical Guidance for Volunteer Medical Trips Issued by ACP – Medscape (free registration required) AND Ethical Duties ID’d for Short-Term Global Health Experiences – Physician’s Briefing (free)
4 – Viewpoint: Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis: An Increasing Public Health Concern – JAMA (free for a limited period)
5 – Antibiotic Therapy Duration in US Adults With Sinusitis – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Sinus Infections: Majority of Antibiotics Prescriptions Longer Than Recommended – MedicalResearch.com (free) AND CDC Study Says Sinus Infections Are Treated With Antibiotics Longer Than Necessary – AJMC (free) AND Most Courses of Antibiotics for Sinusitis Are Too Long – NEJM Physician’s First Watch (free)
Related Guideline: IDSA Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis in Children and Adults – Clinical Infectious Diseases (free)
6 – Clinical Updates: Palliative radiotherapy – The BMJ (free)
Clinical Update for non-specialists on the benefits, practicalities, and side effects of palliative radiotherapy.
7 – Richard Lehman’s journal reviews, 26 March 2018 – The BMJ Opinion (free)
Richard Lehman reviews the latest research in the top medical journals.
8 – The dark truth about chocolate – The Guardian (free)
Related: Dark chocolate is now a health food. Here’s how that happened – VOX (free)
“Grand health claims have been made about chocolate, but while it gives us pleasure, can it really be good for us?”
9 – Viewpoint: Individualizing Blood Pressure Targets for People With Diabetes and Hypertension: Comparing the ADA and the ACC/AHA Recommendations – JAMA (free for a limited period)
10 – Association of E-Cigarette Use With Smoking Cessation Among Smokers Who Plan to Quit After a Hospitalization: A Prospective Study – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Some e-cigarette users may struggle to quit smoking – Reuters (free) AND Expert reaction to ecigs and smoking cessation – Science Media Centre (free) AND Could E-Cigarettes Foil Smoking Cessation Efforts After Hospital Discharge? – NEJM Physician’s First Watch (free)
“The study is consistent with the hypothesis that smokers need to use e-cigarettes regularly and daily and switch completely from cigarettes to e-cigarettes for them to have the greatest chance of help” (from Reuters)
Fri, March 23 – 10 Stories of The Day!
23 Mar, 2018 | 02:04h | UTC
2 – New Tool: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Tracker – Our World in Data (free)
Commentary: The U.N. Set 17 Goals To Make The World A Better Place. How’s It Doing? – NPR (free)
“The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are targets for global development adopted in September 2015, set to be achieved by 2030. Here we present data across all available indicators from the Our World in Data database tracking progress towards these goals around the world”.
3 – When antibiotics turn toxic – Nature News (free)
“Commonly prescribed drugs called fluoroquinolones cause rare, disabling side effects. Researchers are struggling to work out why”.
4 – Associations of Monounsaturated Fatty Acids From Plant and Animal Sources With Total and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk – Circulation (link to abstract – presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2018)
Commentaries: Mono-unsaturated fats from plants, not animals may reduce risk of death from heart disease and other causes – AHA / ASA Newsroom (free) AND These plant-based fats could help you live longer – Medical News Today (free)
5 – Report: Violence and Mental Health: Opportunities for Prevention and Early Detection – National Academies Press (free PDF)
Commentaries: Efficacy of High-Flow O2 Tx Test Outside ICU for Infants With Bronchiolitis? – MPR (free) AND High-flow O2 therapy feasible for infants with bronchiolitis – MedicalXpress (free) AND High-Flow Oxygen Improves Infant Bronchiolitis Outcomes – MedPage Today (free)
7 – FDA In Brief: FDA updates public information about known risk of lymphoma from breast implants (free) AND Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma – FDA Update (free)
Commentaries: More Cases Are Reported of Unusual Cancer Linked to Breast Implants – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) AND Implant-Related Lymphoma Cases Rise – More than 400 cases reported to FDA – MedPage Today (free)
“Some 400 to 500 women worldwide have an unusual type of lymphoma linked to breast implants with textured surfaces. Experts say women considering implants should be told”. (via @NYTHealth see Tweet)
8 – Viewpoint: The Proposal to Lower P Value Thresholds to .005 – JAMA (free) (via @VinayPrasad82 see Tweet)
Related: What a nerdy debate about p-values shows about science — and how to fix it – VOX (free) AND Big names in statistics want to shake up much-maligned P value – Nature News (free) AND ‘One-size-fits-all’ threshold for P values under fire – Nature News (free) AND Statisticians issue warning over misuse of P values – Nature News (free) AND Understanding common misconceptions about p-values – The 20% Statistician (free) AND Statistical tests, P values, confidence intervals, and power: a guide to misinterpretations – European Journal of Epidemiology(free)
Commentaries: Time to rethink exercise for fibromyalgia care – The BMJ Opinion (free) AND The unintended consequences of tai chi for fibromyalgia – The BMJ Opinion (free) AND Tai chi may be as effective for fibromyalgia as standard exercise – NHS Choices (free) AND Tai chi at least as beneficial as aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia – OnMedica (free)
Invited commentary: Cholera control: one dose at a time (free)
“Our results indicate that when such emergencies occur in populations with endemic cholera, the challenges of successfully completing a two-dose regimen should not deter deployment of OCV, because older children and adults will be protected for at least 2 years by a single dose”. (via @Onisillos see Tweet)
Thu, March 22 – 10 Stories of The Day!
22 Mar, 2018 | 02:12h | UTC
1 – Low Back Pain – New Series from The Lancet Journals
– Homepage and Executive Summary (free)
– Article 1: What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention (free registration required)
– Article 2: Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions (free registration required)
– Invited Commentary: Low back pain: a major global challenge (free registration required)
– Viewpoint: Low back pain: a call for action (free registration required)
Commentaries: Low Back Pain Affects 540 Million People Worldwide, but Too Many Patients Receive the Wrong Care – University of Warwick, via NewsWise (free) AND Lower back pain being treated badly on a global scale, study says – The Guardian (free)
Commentaries: Limiting shifts for medical trainees affects satisfaction, but not educational outcomes – MedicalXpress (free) AND Controversial Duty-Hours Trial Finds Difference in Intern Education – MedPage Today (free registration required) AND Limiting hours of resident shifts improves satisfaction—but not educational outcomes – Clinical Inovation + Technology (free)
3 – Helicobacter pylori Therapy for the Prevention of Metachronous Gastric Cancer – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Quick Take Video Summary: H. pylori Treatment for Gastric Cancer Prevention (free)
Commentary: H pylori Eradication Benefits Patients With Early Gastric Cancer – Medscape (free registration required)
Commentaries: Localized Risk for Infection Transmission on Planes, Study Finds – Medscape (free registration required) AND Researchers Determine Routes of Respiratory Infectious Disease Transmission on Aircraft – Georgia Tech News Center (free) AND Why you should choose your plane seat wisely – Medical News Today (free)
“Direct disease transmission outside of the one-meter area of an infected passenger is unlikely” (from Georgia Tech)
5 – Selected Articles from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2018 – BMC (free) (via @CritCareReviews)
Related: AAFP Decides to Not Endorse AHA/ACC Hypertension Guideline (free) AND ACC/AHA Hypertension Guideline: What Is New? What Do We Do? – American Family Physician (free) AND Hemoglobin A1c Targets for Glycemic Control With Pharmacologic Therapy for Nonpregnant Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Guidance Statement Update From the American College of Physicians (free)
Invited commentary: Mortality in older children and adolescents: the forgotten ones (free)
Graphic 1: Top 25 causes of death in the WHO European Region, age 5–9 years, both sexes, 1990 and 2016 (free)
Graphic 2: Top 25 causes of death in the WHO European Region, age 10–14 years, both sexes, 1990 and 2016 (free)
8 – Time to Epinephrine Administration and Survival from Non-Shockable Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Among Children and Adults – Circulation (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Every Minute Counts with Epinephrine in Nonshockable Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest – NEJM Journal Watch (free)
Commentaries: Maternal anaemia and risk of mortality: a call for action – The Lancet Global Health (free) AND Risk of maternal death doubled in pregnant women with anemia – MedicalXpress (free)
Invited commentary: Preventing stroke on the street where you live, work, and play (free)
Patients from the lowest socioeconomic groups had first stroke a median of 7 years earlier than those from the highest and a 26% higher adjusted risk of 1-year mortality.
Tue, March 20 – 10 Stories of The Day!
20 Mar, 2018 | 00:20h | UTC
1 – 2018 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of syncope – European Heart Journal (free for a limited period)
News release: European Society of Cardiology guidelines on syncope launched today at EHRA 2018 (free)
Related guideline: 2017 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Syncope: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines, and the Heart Rhythm Society (free)
2 – The 2018 European Heart Rhythm Association Practical Guide on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation – European Heart Journal (free for a limited period)
News release: New EHRA Practical Guide on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants launched (free)
3 – MRI-Targeted or Standard Biopsy for Prostate-Cancer Diagnosis – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
Commentaries: Prostate MRI reveals more treatable cancers, reduces overdiagnosis than standard biopsy – European Urology Association, via EurekAlert (free) AND MRI Before Biopsy Better Than TRUS in Prostate Cancer – Medscape (free registration required)
4 – Direct-Acting Antiviral Prophylaxis in Kidney Transplantation From Hepatitis C Virus–Infected Donors to Noninfected Recipients: An Open-Label Nonrandomized Trial – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: HCV Prophylaxis Could Expand Kidney Availability – Renal & Urology News (free) AND HCV-infected kidney donors could save lives – 2 Minute Medicine (free) AND One year posttransplant, recipients of hepatitis C kidneys disease-free – Johns Hopkins Medicine, ScienceDaily (free)
5 – Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and colorectal cancer risk in the UK Biobank – British Journal of Cancer (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Binge watching TV could increase bowel cancer risk in men – Imperial College London (free) AND Expert reaction to study on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and bowel cancer risk – Science Media Centre (free)
6 – Efficacy of Vaginal Estradiol or Vaginal Moisturizer vs Placebo for Treating Postmenopausal Vulvovaginal Symptoms: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA Internal Medicine (free for a limited period)
Invited commentary: Rethinking the Approach to Managing Postmenopausal Vulvovaginal Symptoms (free for a limited period)
Author interview: Efficacy of Vaginal Estradiol or Moisturizer vs Placebo for Postmenopausal Vulvovaginal Symptoms (free)
Commentary: Vaginal Estradiol Offers Little Help for Postmenopausal Symptoms – Moisturizer no better than placebo gel, either – MedPage Today (free registration required)
7 – MMWR Report: Fatal Yellow Fever in Travelers to Brazil, 2018 – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (free)
Commentaries: Thinking of Going to Brazil? You Will Need a Yellow Fever Vaccination – The New York Times (free) AND Brazil’s yellow fever outbreak, explained – VOX (free)
8 – Richard Lehman’s journal review, 19 March 2018 – The BMJ Opinion (free)
Richard Lehman reviews the latest research in the top medical journals.
“Information from a new large study has increased our confidence that five days of oral corticosteroids is likely to be sufficient for treatment of adults with acute exacerbations of COPD”.
10 – Suicide After Deliberate Self-Harm in Adolescents and Young Adults – Pediatrics (free)
Commentary: Young People Who Self-Harm Face Striking Increase in Suicide Risk – Physician’s First Watch (free)
“Teens who self-harm are nearly 50 times more likely to commit suicide in the next year compared with their non-self-harming peers” (via @Physns1stWatch see Tweet)
Wed, March 21 – 10 Stories of The Day!
21 Mar, 2018 | 00:13h | UTC
1 – Screening for Skin Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement – JAMA (free)
Related Recommendation Statement: Behavioral Counseling to Prevent Skin Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force (free)
JAMA Editorials: Sun Protection and Skin Self-examination and the US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation on Behavioral Counseling for Skin Cancer Prevention (free) AND Should Pediatricians Be More Proactive in Counseling Children About Skin Cancer Risk? Implications of the USPSTF Recommendation Statement (free) AND The Potential of Behavioral Counseling to Prevent Skin Cancer (free) AND USPSTF Recommendations for Behavioral Counseling for Skin Cancer Prevention: Throwing Shade on UV Radiation (free) AND The Value of Behavioral Counseling for Skin Cancer Prevention: Actions We Can Take Now and Guidance for the Future (free)
Author Interviews: Screening for Skin Cancer (free audio) AND USPSTF Recommendation: Behavioral Counseling to Prevent Skin Cancer (free)
Commentaries: Doctors endorse counseling of some kids, young adults to prevent skin cancer – Reuters (free) AND Evidence insufficient to make recommendation regarding visual skin examination by a clinician – The JAMA Network, via EurekAlert (free)
Commentaries: Mental health risks to girls who spend more than an hour a day on social media – new study – The Conversation (free) AND How much is too much? Does increasing use of social media having a damaging effect on young girls? – BMC Series Blog (free) AND Social Media May Be More Harmful To Girls Than Boys, Study Finds – Forbes (free)
See also a recent Pediatrics supplement: Children, Adolescents and Screens: What We Know and What We Need To Learn (free articles) and related texts on Social Media and Mental Health (free articles and commentaries)
3 – Are we prepared for the looming epidemic threat? – The Guardian (free) (via @Onisillos)
Related: The World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic – TIME cover story AND The World Is Completely Unprepared for a Global Pandemic – Harvard Business Review (free) AND Seven reasons we’re at more risk than ever of a global pandemic – CNN (free) AND Video: Pandemics – a worrying global public health threat (free)
4 – Cardiology World Erupts Into Controversy Over Change In Major Clinical Trial – Cardiobrief (free)
Related Article: Moving the Goalposts Into Unblinded Territory – Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes (free)
Related study with similar conclusions: Impact of Cardiovascular Risk on the Relative Benefit and Harm of Intensive Treatment of Hypertension – Journal of the American College of Cardiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
“An intelligent approach towards blood pressure management: by the individual’s risk instead of just their measurements” (via @EricTopol see Tweet)
Commentaries: Survivors of childhood cancer are at great risk of heart problems in adulthood – eCancerNews (free) AND Higher heart risk for survivors of childhood cancer – OnMedica (free)
Related study: The cumulative burden of surviving childhood cancer: an initial report from the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (SJLIFE) – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related Guidelines and Reviews: Prevention and Monitoring of Cardiac Dysfunction in Survivors of Adult Cancers: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline (free) AND 2016 ESC Position Paper on cancer treatments and cardiovascular toxicity developed under the auspices of the ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (free) AND Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines for Evaluation and Management of Cardiovascular Complications of Cancer Therapy (free) AND Cardiotoxicity of anticancer treatments: Epidemiology, detection, and management – CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (free)
7 – Extensive impact of non-antibiotic drugs on human gut bacteria – Nature (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: The overlooked side effect of many drugs – Nature Microbiology Community (free) AND Study: Non-antibiotic drugs affect gut bacteria, could promote resistance – CIDRAP (free)
8 – Pulse oximetry for diagnosis of critical congenital heart defects – Cochrane Library (free)
Original article: Pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart defects – Cochrane Library (free)
Related study: Association of US State Implementation of Newborn Screening Policies for Critical Congenital Heart Disease With Early Infant Cardiac Deaths – JAMA (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related guidelines: Pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart defects: a European consensus statement – The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (free) AND Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Pediatric Cardiology Association Position Statement on Pulse OximetryScreening in Newborns to Enhance Detection of Critical Congenital Heart Disease (free) AND Role of Pulse Oximetry in Examining Newborns for Congenital Heart Disease: A Scientific Statement from the AHA and AAP (free)
Commentary: New Expert Statement on Arrhythmias and Cognitive Function – Medscape (free registration required)
10 – Association of Inhaled Corticosteroids and Long-Acting β-Agonists as Controller and Quick Relief Therapy With Exacerbations and Symptom Control in Persistent Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Related Meta-Analysis: Association of Inhaled Corticosteroids and Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonists With Asthma Control in Patients With Uncontrolled, Persistent Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Commentary: Reviews Reveal Benefits of LAMAs, LABAs, and SMART in Asthma – Medscape (free registration required)