Home Internal Medicine April 2016 Briefing – Internal Medicine

April 2016 Briefing – Internal Medicine

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Internal Medicine for April 2016. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Hearing Aids Linked to Stronger Scores on Mini-Mental Exam

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New research suggests that hearing aids might help prevent or slow the development of dementia in elderly people with hearing loss. The study was published online April 25 in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

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FDA Reconsidering Training for Doctors Prescribing Opioids

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Mandatory safety training for doctors who prescribe opioids is being reconsidered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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First Zika-Related Death in Puerto Rico Reported

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The first known Zika virus-linked death in Puerto Rico was announced Friday by officials of the U.S. territory.

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Generic Crestor Approved by FDA

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The first generic version of Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) tablets was approved Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Costs for Orally Administered Cancer Drugs Up Since 2000

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Prices of orally administered cancer medications in the United States have risen sharply since 2000, according to a study published online April 28 in JAMA Oncology.

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Dietary Choices Appear to Impact Microbial Diversity of Gut

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Foods like fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, wine, yogurt, and buttermilk can increase the microbial diversity in the gut, while simple carbohydrates appear to reduce it, according to two studies published in the April 29 issue of the journal Science.

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First Commercial Zika Test Approved by FDA

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The first commercial test to diagnose Zika virus was approved Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Wide Variation in Health Care Costs Across the U.S.

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Health care prices vary widely across the United States, even within the same state, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.

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Picture-Guided Cards Can Help Chaplains Provide Spiritual Care

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Picture-guided spiritual care is feasible among mechanically ventilated adults and may reduce their anxiety, according to a study published online April 20 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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Acute Diverticulitis No Worse in Younger Patients

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Younger patients do not have worse clinical presentation of acute diverticulitis, according to a study published online April 23 in the Journal of Digestive Diseases.

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Yoga Tied to Small Improvements in QoL, Symptoms in Asthma

FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with asthma, yoga seems to lead to small improvements in quality of life and symptoms, according to a review published online April 27 in The Cochrane Library.

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Article Discusses Workplace Violence in Health Care

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There is a lack of data relating to the prevalence of workplace violence in health care and how to address it, according to a review article published in the April 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Shared Decision-Making Should Be Encouraged in ICU

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Shared decision-making should be implemented in the intensive care unit (ICU) as a collaborative process involving patients (or their surrogates) and clinicians, according to a policy statement published online April 20 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Rosacea Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Rosacea may be linked to a higher risk for dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to research published online April 28 in the Annals of Neurology.

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Review: Type 2 Diabetes Linked to Hearing Impairment

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Type 2 diabetes may raise the risk of hearing loss, according to a review published recently in Current Diabetes Reports.

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Research Finds Link Between Psoriasis, Obesity, T2DM

THURSDAY, April 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Psoriasis may be linked to excess weight and type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online April 27 in JAMA Dermatology.

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Mindfulness Therapy May Help Ease Recurrent Depression

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may help reduce the risk of repeated episodes of depression, according to a study published online April 27 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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U.S. Health Report Card Finds Racial, Ethnic Disparities Persist

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — An update on Americans’ health finds that racial and ethnic disparities persist, with significant gaps in obesity, cesarean births, and dental care. But advances have been made in some important areas, including infant mortality rates, women smokers, and numbers of uninsured, according to the new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Doctors Have a Only a Few Weeks Left to Review Financial Data

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, physicians have only a few weeks left to review and report disputes relating to their financial ties to drug and medical device manufacturers, according to the American Medical Association.

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Some Primary Care Physician Finances Are Improving

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The financial outlook for primary care practices is improving, but not all practices are experiencing the same improvements, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

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Six-Minute Walk Test Predicts Mortality in TMVR Patients

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR), the six-minute walk test (6MWT) is independently associated with mortality, according to a research letter published in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Optimally Timed Follow-Up Cuts Readmissions After Cystectomy

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Detection of concerning symptoms after radical cystectomy can be improved by optimizing the timing and number of outpatient encounters, according to a study published in the May issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Simvastatin/Ezetimibe Not Beneficial in Alopecia Areata

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Simvastatin/ezetimibe does not appear to be beneficial for severe alopecia areata (AA) in a sample of 20 patients, according to a letter to the editor published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

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Interactions for HIV Drug Combos, Immunosuppressants

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — HIV-positive transplant recipients and their physicians should be aware of potential interactions between fixed dose combination products used for HIV treatment and immunosuppressant metabolism, according to a case report published online April 18 in the American Journal of Transplantation.

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SLICC/ACR Criteria Don’t ID Severe Internal Disease in SCLE

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Neither the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) nor the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria distinguishes patients with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) with major internal disease from those without, according to research published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

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Certain Nutraceuticals May Augment Antidepressant Effects

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Certain nutritional supplements may improve the effectiveness of antidepressants, according to research published online April 26 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

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New Research Questions Link Between Statin Use and CRC Risk

WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Long-term use of statins does not appear to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but a patient’s cholesterol levels might affect risk, according to a study published online April 26 in PLOS Medicine.

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Influenza Vaccination Timing Appears to Affect Efficacy

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Influenza vaccination may be more effective when people receive it in the morning than in the afternoon, according to a study published online April 26 in Vaccine.

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Coronary Heart Disease Risk Up for Women Working Night Shifts

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women who work rotating night shifts may face a slightly increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), according to a report published in the April 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Pharmacists Can Manage Some Chronic Conditions Effectively

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pharmacists can do an effective job helping chronically ill patients manage their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels if they’re allowed to direct patients’ health care, according to an evidence review published online April 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Triple Therapy No Benefit for COPD Exacerbations

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The addition of tiotropium to long-acting β2-agonists (LABA) and/or inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) does not reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations compared to LABA/ICS alone, according to a study published online April 20 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

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Direct Primary Care Is Emerging Business Model

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Direct primary care, where doctors bypass insurance companies, is an emerging business model, according to an article published in The Boston Globe.

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Prevalence of Migraine Up in Patients With Cardiac Syndrome X

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of migraine headache is elevated in patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX) compared to patients with coronary artery disease or healthy controls, according to a research letter published in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Detecting, Isolating C. difficile Carriers Beneficial

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Detecting and isolating Clostridium difficile carriers can reduce the incidence of health care-associated C. difficile infection (HA-CDI), according to a study published online April 25 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Saxagliptin, Sitagliptin Don’t Up Hospitalized Heart Failure

TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Use of saxagliptin or sitagliptin is not associated with increased risk of hospitalized heart failure (hHF) compared with other antihyperglycemic agents, according to a study published online April 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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A Doctor’s View: EHRs Impair Physician-Patient Relationship

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Electronic health records (EHRs) may be impairing the physician-patient relationship, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

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Pathogen Reduction System Prevents Malaria Via Transfusion

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of transfusion-transmitted malaria can be reduced with use of a whole blood pathogen-reduction system, according to a study published in the April 23 issue of The Lancet.

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Rapid-Onset Diabetes Described With Anti-PD-1 Treatment

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a case report published online April 11 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation, researchers document rapid-onset insulin-dependent diabetes in an Asian patient undergoing treatment with anti-programmed cell death-1 (anti-PD-1) therapy.

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Homocysteine Tied to Alzheimer’s Via Aβ-Fibrinogen Interaction

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Plasma homocysteine (HC) and its metabolite homocysteine thiolactone (HCTL) contribute to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology via the amyloid-β (Aβ)-fibrinogen interaction, according to a study published online April 19 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

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Alkali Eye Injuries Secondary to Airbag Deployment Reported

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a report published online April 15 in Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, two cases are presented of alkali eye injuries secondary to airbag deployment.

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No Link for Smoking Cessation Meds, Mental Health Issues

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) don’t appear to raise the risk of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, according to a new study published online April 22 in The Lancet.

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Continued Aspirin Treatment Safe With Partial Nephrectomy

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Continuing aspirin for chronic antiplatelet therapy is safe in patients undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

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First-Degree Relative Grafts Don’t Up Liver Disease Recurrence

MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In liver transplantation (LT), patients who receive living donor grafts from first-degree relatives due to autoimmune liver diseases are not prone to increased disease recurrence, compared to those who receive grafts from distant/unrelated donors and deceased donors, according to a study published online April 18 in the American Journal of Transplantation.

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Physicians Can Get Involved in Developing Payment Models

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Doctors can be involved in developing new payment models for their practices, according to the American Medical Association.

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Pre-Op Stenting, Longer Surgery Tied to Genitourinary Infection

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Preoperative stenting and longer operative time are associated with a greater likelihood of serious genitourinary infection after ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

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CDC, OSHA Issue Guidance on Occupational Exposure to Zika

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Summer, mosquito season, and the threat of Zika virus transmission is approaching, and federal health experts on Friday issued guidelines to help protect American workers from infection.

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Heavy Cannabis Use in Teen Years Tied to Earlier Mortality

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Men who were heavy cannabis smokers in their teens may not live as long as those who did not use cannabis when they were young, according to a study published online April 22 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

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CDC: Suicide Rate Up 24 Percent in the United States Since 1999

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Suicide rates in the United States rose 24 percent between 1999 and 2014, with young girls and middle-aged men accounting for the largest increases, according to an April data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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Anthracyclines May Not Trigger ‘Chemo Brain’

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Anthracyclines are not related to “chemo brain,” according to a research letter published online April 21 in JAMA Oncology.

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Ideal BP in Elderly With Chronic Kidney Disease Unclear

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Age modifies the association between blood pressure (BP) and adverse cardiovascular and renal outcomes in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to research published online April 21 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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Antimicrobial Treatment No Benefit After Kidney Transplant

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing kidney transplantation (KT), systematic antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) beyond the second month post-transplant is not beneficial, according to a study published online April 18 in the American Journal of Transplantation.

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Lipid Tx Cuts Cardiovascular Risk with Type 1 Diabetes

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular death is 22 to 44 percent lower among individuals with type 1 diabetes treated with lipid-lowering therapy (LLT), according to a study published online April 18 in Diabetes Care.

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How One Health System Is Shifting From Volume to Value

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — ACCESS Health System, which operates 36 health centers, is transitioning to a patient-centered, physician-friendly health system that provides a continuum of care to underserved populations, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).

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Dietary Polyphenols Don’t Provide Much CV Benefit in Metabolic Sx

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Supplementation with polyphenols does not strongly protect against cardiovascular diseases among patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), according to a review published online April 15 in Obesity Reviews.

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Comorbidity Tied to Prostate Cancer Upgrading, Up Staging

FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Comorbidity burden is strongly and independently associated with pathological upgrading/up staging in men with clinically low-risk prostate cancer, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Preexisting Mental Distress Can Slow Concussion Recovery

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Athletes may take longer to recover after a concussion if they had psychosomatic symptoms before their head injury, according to a study published online April 20 in Neurology.

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Stomach CA Risk Up With Alcohol, Processed Meat Consumption

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol, processed meats — such as hot dogs, ham, and bacon — and excess weight all may raise a person’s risk of stomach cancer, according to a new review released by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund International.

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Do Antihistamines Blunt Exercise Recovery?

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Histamine may contribute to exercise recovery in skeletal muscle, and blockade of histamine receptors may interfere with that mechanism, according to research published online April 9 in the Journal of Physiology.

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Improved Survival for Certain Cancers With Low-Dose Aspirin

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with colorectal, breast, or prostate cancers may have better survival odds if they are on a low-dose aspirin regimen, according to a review published online April 20 in PLOS ONE.

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Costs Linked to Center Volume for Lung Transplant Recipients

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Admission costs and early readmission rates are lower for lung transplant recipients at high-volume centers, according to a study published online April 11 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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No Solid Evidence for Pre-Participation Screens in Athletes

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There is no solid evidence for the effectiveness of pre-participation screening in reducing the number of sudden cardiac deaths among young athletes, according to an analysis published online April 20 in The BMJ.

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Medical Expulsive Therapy Underused for Ureteral Stones

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with ureteral stones, medical expulsive therapy remains underused, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Beneficial in Type 2 Diabetes

THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), interrupting prolonged sitting with three-minute bouts of light-intensity walking (LW) or simple resistance activities (SRA) every 30 minutes improves postprandial cardiometabolic risk markers compared with uninterrupted sitting (SIT), according to a study published online April 13 in Diabetes Care.

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DiaRem Score Predicts Who Will Be Cured by RYGB Surgery

WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes, the DiaRem score can identify those who are likely to be cured by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, according to a research letter published online April 20 in JAMA Surgery.

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Ten Cases of Rare Bloodstream Infection Reported in Illinois

WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A cluster of rare bloodstream infections was discovered by Illinois health officials while investigating an outbreak in Wisconsin.

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Decrease in Prostate CA Mortality Parallels Drop in Smoking

WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Declines in prostate cancer mortality seem to parallel declines in cigarette smoking, based on data from four U.S. states. The report was published online April 14 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Preventing Chronic Disease.

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LDL Reduction in Hypertriglyceridemia Varies Per Statin

WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with hypertriglyceridemia, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) reductions depend of the choice and dose of statin, according to research published in the May 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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In Breast CA, Cardiotoxicity Up With Trastuzumab-Based Chemo

WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For adult women with breast cancer, trastuzumab-based regimens are associated with increased risk of cardiotoxicity, according to a study published online April 18 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Better Functional Outcome With Stent Retrievers in Acute Stroke

WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute ischemic stroke, treatment with stent retrievers with quick reperfusion time is associated with improved outcomes, according to a study published online April 19 in Radiology.

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Novel Case of Alzheimer’s Reported in HIV+ Patient

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The first case of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosed in a person with HIV suggests progressive dementia in older HIV+ individuals may be due to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), AD, or both. The case study was published online April 14 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.

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Lower CVD Mortality for Metformin Versus Sulfonylureas

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Metformin is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality compared with sulfonylureas, according to a large analysis published online April 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Early Trials Offer Promising Results for 2-Step Ebola Vaccine

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new two-step Ebola vaccine strategy has shown some promise in early clinical trials, according to research published in the April 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Review: Paroxetine Reduces Vasomotor Symptoms

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, paroxetine reduces vasomotor symptoms, according to a review and meta-analysis published online April 7 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

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Network Meta-Analysis Recommends Prostaglandins for Glaucoma

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Network meta-analysis, which compares multiple treatment options, suggests that prostaglandins are best for decreasing intraocular pressure at three months in primary open angle-glaucoma (POAG), according to research published online April 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists No Benefit Post MI

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with post-myocardial infarction (MI) heart failure, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) do not improve outcome, according to a study published in the April 26 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Post-Op Gouty Arthritis Described in Patient Taking Thiazide

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A case of postoperative acute gouty arthritis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy with umbilical hernioplasty, secondary to hydrochlorothiazide use, has been documented in a case report published in the March issue in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.

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Suboptimal Guideline Adherence for Hematuria After Menopause

TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of urinary tract malignancy is low among postmenopausal women evaluated for asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Article Offers Ways to Address Overlooked Details in Practice

MONDAY, April 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Looking at a family medicine practice with fresh eyes can help address unsightly issues that patients notice, according to an article published in Family Practice Management.

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Physicians May Be Ordering Carotid Imaging Too Often

MONDAY, April 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many heart patients undergo carotid imaging for uncertain or inappropriate reasons, according to a study published online April 18 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Testosterone Undecanoate Cuts Anemia in Hypogonadal Men

MONDAY, April 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Testosterone undecanoate reduces anemia in patients with subnormal testosterone levels, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Genetic Vitamin K1 Levels Linked to Heart Disease

MONDAY, April 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Genetically determined vitamin K1 is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online April 8 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

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Antithrombotic Rx Could Be Optimized for Older A-Fib Patients

MONDAY, April 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are not prescribed antithrombotics, according to a study published online April 7 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.

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No Racial Difference in Prognostic Value of Cardiorespiratory Fitness

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) predicts all-cause mortality, with no racial differences in its prognostic value, according to a study published in the May 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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2016 Match Marks Record Highs for Registrants, Matching

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The 2016 Match was the largest ever recorded by the National Resident Matching Program, with a higher match rate that 2015, according to a report from the American Medical Association.

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Metformin May Reduce Cancer Mortality Risk

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Metformin may reduce the risk of dying from some cancers for postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the April 15 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

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Proton Pump Inhibitors Tied to Chronic Kidney Disease

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients who regularly use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be at increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to research published online April 14 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Odds Up for Patients With Psoriasis

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Psoriasis patients may face a higher risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, according to a study published online April 14 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

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Telephone Follow-Up Effective for Stage I Endometrial Cancer

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For women treated for stage I endometrial cancer, telephone follow-up (TFU) is noninferior to hospital-based follow-up (HFU), according to a study published online April 7 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

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Neratinib Not Superior to Trastuzumab in ERBB2-Breast CA

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Neratinib-paclitaxel is no better than trastuzumab-paclitaxel for progression-free survival in recurrent and/or metastatic ERBB2-positive breast cancer, although it may delay the onset and reduce the frequency of central nervous system progression, according to a study published online April 14 in JAMA Oncology.

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Improved Functional Outcomes With Adoption of GWTG-Stroke

FRIDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Adoption of the Get With The Guidelines (GWTG)-Stroke program is associated with improved functional outcomes at discharge and reduced post-discharge mortality for Medicare beneficiaries with acute stroke, according to a study published online April 14 in Stroke.

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Decrease in Medicare Spending for 2012 ACO Entrants

FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Early reductions in Medicare spending were seen for the first full year of Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) contracts for 2012 Accountable Care Organization (ACO) entrants, according to a study published online April 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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U.S. Rates of Thyroid Cancer Leveling Off

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Fewer thyroid cancers are diagnosed in the United States now than in the recent past, perhaps signaling a change in physician practices, according to a report published online April 14 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

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Health Care Workers Skip Hand Washing One-Third of the Time

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Staff at many outpatient health care facilities in New Mexico failed to follow recommendations for hand hygiene more than one-third of the time, according to findings published in the April 1 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.

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Older Age May Boost Radiation Benefits in Soft-Tissue Sarcoma

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Older patients with soft-tissue sarcomas may benefit more from radiation therapy after surgery than younger patients do, according to research published in the April issue of Anticancer Research.

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Adding Number of Vessels With CAC Ups Prediction of CVD Events

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Inclusion of the number of vessels with coronary artery calcium (CAC) improves the capacity of the Agatston CAC score to predict cardiovascular events, according to a study published online April 13 in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.

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Hepatitis C Found to Up Odds for Certain Head and Neck Cancers

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hepatitis C may increase the risk for certain types of head and neck cancers, according to a study published online April 13 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Surveillance Seems Safe for Some Intermediate Risk Prostate CA

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For men with prostate cancer, active surveillance seems safe for those at low risk and for select patients at intermediate risk, according to a study published in The Journal of Urology.

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Progress Made in Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Two years into the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, practices have made progress toward transforming delivery of primary care but have not yet shown savings in expenditures, according to a study published online April 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Self-Management Group Rehab Benefits Persons With Dementia

THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Self-management group rehabilitation is beneficial for persons with dementia (PwD) and their spouses, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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Consumption of Fast Food Linked to Greater Exposure to Phthalates

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — People with high intake of fast food may have levels of phthalates in their urine that are 24 to 40 percent higher than people who rarely eat fast food, according to research published online April 13 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

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Benefits of Polyunsaturated Over Saturated Fat Deemed Uncertain

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Controversial new research challenges the idea that heart health will improve if people cut saturated fat — typically from animal sources — from their diets in favor of vegetable oil. The findings were published online April 12 in The BMJ.

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Bariatric Surgical Skill Doesn’t Appear to Weigh on Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Surgical skill does not appear to affect postoperative weight loss or resolution of medical conditions at one year after laparoscopic gastric bypass, according to a study published online April 13 in JAMA Surgery.

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Coalition Calls for Changes to Hospital Pain Assessments

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — U.S. hospital procedures and questionnaires used to manage patient pain lead to overprescribing of addictive opioids and need to be changed, critics say.

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Optimized Tx Linked to Lasting Pain Relief in Chronic Pancreatitis

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For most patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), optimized medical and interventional therapy is associated with lasting pain relief, according to a study published online April 7 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

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Potentially Inappropriate Meds Use Common With OAB Tx

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older adults starting antimuscarinic treatment for overactive bladder (OAB), potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is highly prevalent and associated with greater total costs, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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Computerized Order Set Aids Prescribing in COPD Exacerbations

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of a computerized multidisciplinary order set in the electronic health record improves the quality of physician pharmacologic prescribing for patients hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) exacerbations, according to research published online April 8 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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Low Fruit, Vegetable Intake Linked to Hip Fracture Risk

WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, daily intake of no more than one serving of fruit and vegetables is associated with increased risk of hip fracture relative to moderate intake, according to a study published online April 8 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

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Quality Improvement Process Doesn’t Cut ICU Mortality

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A quality improvement intervention does not reduce in-hospital mortality for critically ill patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs), according to a study published in the April 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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CV Risk Not Significantly Different for GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There are no significant differences in occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) tied to treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) compared with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i), second generation sulfonylureas, or insulin, in combination with metformin, according to a study published online March 22 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

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Parental Hip Fracture Independently Ups Offspring Risk

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Parental hip fracture (HF) is independently associated with increased risk of offspring major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and HF, according to research published online April 8 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

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Androgen Deprivation Tx for Prostate CA Tied to Depression

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Older men who receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer may be at increased risk of developing depression, according to a new, large study published online April 11 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Doctors Can Be Misled About FDA ‘Breakthrough’ Drug Designation

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Use of the word “breakthrough” in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s expedited approval process could mislead doctors about the new drugs’ actual benefits, according to a research letter published in the April 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Hospice Care Doesn’t Up Costs for Nursing Home Decedents

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For long-stay nursing home (NH) decedents, use of hospice does not increase Medicare costs in the six months before death, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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CCTA Tied to More Appropriate Use of Invasive Angiography

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is associated with more appropriate use of invasive angiography and increased use of preventive therapies, according to a study published online April 11 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Review Addresses Chest Pain in Young Adults Presenting to ER

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For young adults presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain, after ruling out cardiac risk, physicians should focus on stress reaction, according to a review published in the March issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.

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Increase in Number of Patients Being Treated for Alpha-Gal

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There has been an increase in the number of patients being treated for Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) syndrome, according to a report from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program (ASAP).

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New-Onset A-Fib Post Acute MI Ups Complications, Readmission

TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is strongly tied to in-hospital complications and higher short-term readmission rates, according to a study published in the April 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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USPSTF: Aspirin Recommended for Some Aged 50 to 69 Years

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends aspirin use for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer (CRC) in certain adults aged 50 to 69 years, but not in younger or older adults. These findings form the basis of a recommendation statement, published online April 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Telomere Length Tied to Higher Myocardial Infarction Risk

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Telomere length (TL) is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published in the April 19 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Guidance Issued on Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Obese

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been issued for the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in obese patients; the guideline was published online March 22 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

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Vitamin D Supplementation Doesn’t Change Lean Mass, BMD

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For postmenopausal women with vitamin D insufficiency completing a structured weight-loss program, vitamin D3 supplementation is not associated with changes in lean mass or bone mineral density (BMD), according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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VA Commission on Care: Eliminate VA Medical Centers

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A radical proposal has been suggested for eliminating all Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and outpatient facilities in the next 20 years, floated by seven of 15 members of the VA Commission on Care, according to an article published in the Military Times.

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Progesterone Attenuates Drug-Induced QT Interval Lengthening

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For healthy females, oral progesterone administration attenuates drug-induced QT interval lengthening, according to a study published online April 6 in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.

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Exenatide Twice Daily Deemed Efficacious Across BMI Ranges

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes, exenatide twice daily added to insulin glargine is efficacious across body mass index (BMI) ranges, according to a study published online March 29 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

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Colonic Diverticular Disease Linked to Dementia Risk

MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Colonic diverticular disease appears to be associated with increased risk of dementia in a population from Taiwan, according to a study published online March 31 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

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Niacin-ER May Be Overlooked Cause of Thrombocytopenia

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Extended-release (ER) niacin is associated with progressive and reversible thrombocytopenia, according to a letter to the editor published online March 25 in the American Journal of Hematology.

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Propranolol Use Tied to Increased Mortality in Child-Pugh B, C

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with Child-Pugh B and C, propranolol use is associated with increased mortality, according to a letter to the editor published online March 26 in Hepatology.

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World Trade Center Exposure, Eosinophilia Predict Sinus Surgery

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Sinus surgery is more common among firefighters who responded during the first two days of the World Trade Center disaster than those who had less intense or shorter exposures, according to a study published online April 8 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. The same was found to be true for those firefighters who were at the site for six months or more.

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Diabetes Weight Loss Diets Improve Emotional Measures

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), weight loss diets, regardless of composition, improve psychological measures, including depression, mood, and quality of life, according to a study published online March 23 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

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Hormone Tx No Harm After Nonserous Epithelial Ovarian CA

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For women with nonserous epithelial ovarian cancer, hormone therapy (HT) after treatment does not reduce survival, according to a study published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Steatosis in More Than Half of Liver Transplant Recipients

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Steatosis affects more than half of liver transplant (LT) recipients, although it is not associated with worse patient survival, according to a study published online April 5 in Liver Transplantation.

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Liraglutide Is Not Justified for All Patients With T1DM

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), addition of 1.2 and 1.8 mg of liraglutide to insulin over a 12-week period is associated with a modest reduction in weekly mean glucose levels, according to a study published online April 5 in Diabetes Care.

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Variation in Estimates of Sepsis-Linked Mortality by Data Source

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There is considerable variation in estimates of sepsis mortality using death certificates and health services utilization data (administrative claims), according to a report published in the April 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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ACEI/ARBs Up AMI Outcomes Regardless of Renal Status

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) treatment is associated with improved long-term survival, according to research published in the April 12 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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White Matter Hyperintensities Predate Alzheimer’s Onset

FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease is associated with increased white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on magnetic resonance imaging well before expected symptom onset, according to a study published online March 26 in the Annals of Neurology.

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Sport-Banned Oxilofrine Found in Diet Supplements

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A stimulant banned from competitive sports, oxilofrine, has been found in more than a dozen dietary supplements marketed for “burning” body fat, according to a study published online April 7 in Drug Testing and Analysis.

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Medical Costs Up for Late Middle-Aged With Hearing Loss

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hearing loss is associated with higher medical costs for late middle-aged adults, according to a research letter published online April 7 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

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Selective Biomarkers Can ID Risk of Impaired Glucose Tolerance

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Selective biomarkers can identify the risk of isolated impaired glucose tolerance (iIGT), according to a study published online April 5 in Diabetes Care.

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FDA Approves First Leadless Pacemaker

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The first leadless, wire-free pacemaker to treat heart rhythm disorders has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Daily Fresh Fruit Intake May Improve Cardiovascular Health

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Eating fresh fruit regularly may help prevent heart attacks and strokes, according to a study published in the April 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Incidence of Psoriatic Arthritis 2.7/100 Psoriasis Patients

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is 2.7 cases per 100 psoriasis patients, with risk factors including severe psoriasis phenotype and low level of education, according to a study published in the April issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

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Sacubitril-Valsartan May Be Cost-Effective Option in HFrEF

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), sacubitril-valsartan may be cost-effective, depending on the willingness-to-pay threshold, according to a study published online March 30 in JACC: Heart Failure.

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New Dietary Guidelines for Americans Issued for 2015-2020

THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New U.S. dietary guidelines have been released for 2015 to 2020, according to a health policy brief published online March 31 in Health Affairs.

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FDA Approves Inflectra as ‘Biosimilar’ to Remicade

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its second-ever “biosimilar” drug, Inflectra, for adults with Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or chronic plaque psoriasis, among other prescribed uses.

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MC1R Variants May Up Melanoma Risk, Even Without Sun Exposure

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Genetics could play a role in the development of melanoma even for skin without extensive sun exposure, according to a study published online April 6 in JAMA Dermatology.

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Hydromorphone May Be New Treatment for Heroin Addiction

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hydromorphone may be another treatment option for heroin addiction, according to a new Canadian study published online April 6 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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Since 1980, Diabetes Cases Have Quadrupled Globally

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The number of adults worldwide with diabetes has quadrupled in the past 35 years, according to a report published online April 6 in The Lancet.

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Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction Frequent in Hispanics/Latinos

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hispanics/Latinos frequently have cardiac dysfunction, which is usually subclinical or unrecognized, according to a study published online April 5 in Circulation: Heart Failure.

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FDA Issues New Warning for Two Diabetes Medications

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Diabetes medications containing saxagliptin and alogliptin may raise the risk of heart failure, particularly in patients with heart or kidney disease, U.S. health officials warned Tuesday.

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Surgery Cuts Fracture Risk in Primary Hyperparathyroidism

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), parathyroidectomy is associated with reduced fracture risk, whereas bisphosphonate treatment is not superior to observation, according to a study published online April 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Cost of Insulin Found to Have Tripled Over Past Decade

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The price of insulin has tripled in only 10 years, according to a letter published in the April 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Moreover, since 2010, per-person spending on insulin in the United States was more than spending on all other diabetes drugs.

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Local Heating Pad Eases IV Catheter Insertion

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Local heating pad application eases catheterization in chemotherapy patients, according to a study published online March 30 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

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Diuretic Dose Not Linked to Outcome in Heart Failure

WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with worsening heart failure, after adjustment for pre-specified covariates of disease severity, diuretic dose is not associated with mortality and heart failure rehospitalization, according to a study published online March 30 in JACC: Heart Failure.

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USPSTF Recommends Against COPD Screening in Adults

TUESDAY, April 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in asymptomatic adults. These findings form the basis of a recommendation statement published online April 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Recent Improvement in Survival for Acute Liver Failure

TUESDAY, April 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute liver failure (ALF), overall and transplant-free survival improved from 1998 to 2013, according to a study published online April 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Quality of Urgent Health Care Varies for Virtual Visits

TUESDAY, April 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For companies providing virtual visits for management of common acute illness there is significant variation in quality of care, according to a study published online April 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Hypoglycemia, Sleep Loss Prolong Cognitive Impairment

TUESDAY, April 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Sleep deprivation does not exacerbate cognitive impairment induced by hypoglycemia, but the post-hypoglycemia recovery takes longer with persistence of both cognitive dysfunction and hypoglycemia symptoms, according to a study published online March 22 in Diabetes Care.

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Autologous HSCT Can Result in Remission in Myasthenia Gravis

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), treatment with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) can result in durable, symptom-free, treatment-free remission, according to a study published online April 4 in JAMA Neurology.

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CDC Hosts Zika Action Plan Summit

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — More than 300 public health experts attended the Zika Action Plan Summit, hosted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta on Friday. The summit was held to help ensure a coordinated response to the mosquito-borne illness.

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Sensory Interventions Can Benefit Patients With Dementia

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with dementia, there are many available sensory interventions that seem to have significant effects, according to a review published online March 31 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

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Long-Term Weight Loss Cuts Diabetes-Related Brain Changes

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A long-term weight loss intervention may reduce the impact of diabetes on brain structure, according to a study published online March 29 in Diabetes Care.

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Are Guidelines Needed to Assess Competence of Aging Physicians?

FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The question of whether national guidelines need to be developed for assessing the competence of aging physicians was discussed during a recent meeting of key stakeholders, according to a news release from the American Medical Association (AMA).

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Even Light-Use Waterpipe Smoking Harms the Lungs

FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Young, light-use waterpipe smokers exhibit a variety of pulmonary abnormalities, according to a study published online March 23 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Under-Dosing Worsens Prognosis for PD Patients With Infection

FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) admitted to the hospital, decreased treatment is associated with worse prognosis, according to a letter to the editor published online March 25 in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.

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Chances of Meeting 2025 Global Obesity Target Near Zero

FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Since 1975, the mean body mass index (BMI) of men and women has increased and trends in obesity have been increasing worldwide, according to a study published in the April 2 issue of The Lancet.

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