Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for February 2018. 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.
Early Studies Often Show Exaggerated Treatment Effect
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Trials to evaluate drugs or devices used to treat chronic medical conditions that are published early in the chain of evidence often show an exaggerated treatment effect compared with subsequent trials, according to research published online Feb. 21 in the Mayo Clinical Proceedings.
Understanding Rx Nonadherence Can Improve Adherence
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Understanding nonadherence in patients and encouraging a change in attitude toward patients and their medication can improve medication adherence, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Recommendations for Optimizing Hidden Curriculum in Medicine
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a position paper published online Feb. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians (ACP) presents recommendations for optimizing clinical learning environments by fostering a positive hidden curriculum in medicine.
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Knee Pain, Functional Impairment Associated With Depression
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Knee pain and functional impairments in elderly individuals are associated with the development of depressive symptoms, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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FDA Warns of Possible Heart Risks Linked to Clarithromycin
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The antibiotic clarithromycin (brand name: Biaxin) may increase the long-term risk of heart problems and death in patients with heart disease, according to U.S. health officials.
Benzodiazepine Use Declining in Older Adults
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There have been small but significant reductions in the incidence and prevalence of benzodiazepine use in older adults in Canada, the United States, and Australia, according to a brief report published online Feb. 12 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Artificial Intelligence May Help Prevent Physician Burnout
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Artificial intelligence (AI), in which computers can be trained to recognize patterns in large quantities of data, may be able to reduce physicians’ burdens, saving them time and energy, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Hand Hygiene Program Tied to Lower Nursing Home Mortality
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A multifaceted hand hygiene (HH) program may have a short-term impact on mortality in nursing homes (NHs), according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
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Menopausal Hormone Therapy Tied to Less Pronounced Kyphosis
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) use is associated with less pronounced kyphosis compared with never-use, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in Menopause.
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Quality of Perceived Hospice Care Varies by Setting
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Family members of those who have received hospice care in a nursing home report lower perceived quality of care, compared to hospice care received in other settings, according to a study published online Feb. 10 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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CDC: No Change in Percentage of Uninsured in U.S. From ’16 to ’17
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The percentage of uninsured U.S. persons of all ages did not change significantly from 2016 to the first nine months of 2017, according to a report published online Feb. 22 by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Haloperidol for Delirium in Critically Ill No Help for Survival
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For critically ill adults at high risk of delirium, prophylactic haloperidol does not improve survival at 28 days compared with placebo, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Alcohol Use Disorders Tied to Increased Risk of Dementia Onset
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol use disorders are associated with increased risk for dementia onset, especially early-onset dementia, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in The Lancet Public Health.
All Physical Activity Tied to Reduced Mortality in Older Men
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — All activities (of light intensity upward) are beneficial for older men, with no additional benefit for accumulation of activity in bouts ≥10 minutes beyond total volume of activity, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Lumbopelvic Pain Negatively Affects Walking in Elderly
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Lumbopelvic pain (LPP) is common in well-functioning older adults, according to a study published Feb. 7 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Burnout Found Prevalent Among Doctors in Single Health System
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Burnout is prevalent among physicians, affecting over one-third of physicians in a single health system, and is associated with health care delivery, according to a research letter published online Feb. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Anticoagulants in Seniors With A-Fib, CKD Ups Stroke, ICH Risk
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older patients with concomitant chronic kidney disease and a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, anticoagulants are associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke and hemorrhage, but with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in The BMJ.
Treatment Initiation for Depression Low in Primary Care
FRIDAY, Feb. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Treatment initiation for depression remains suboptimal in the primary care setting, despite wide availability of effective treatments and increased detection efforts, according to a study published Feb. 8 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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Influenza A(H3N2) Viruses Predominate 2017-2018 Season
FRIDAY, Feb. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most influenza viruses identified in the 2017 to 2018 season are influenza A, with A(H3N2) viruses predominating, according to research published in the Feb. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Patients Want Physicians to Have Greater Connectivity
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most patients want greater connectivity, online tools and text messaging, as well as more time with their physicians, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Ultra-Processed Food Linked to Increased Overall Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with increased risk of overall and breast cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in The BMJ.
Poor Outcomes With Systolic BP Below 120 mm Hg in HFpEF
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For hospitalized patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), poor outcomes are seen in association with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) level below 120 mm Hg, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in JAMA Cardiology.
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Four Best Practices Outlined to Prevent Health Care Cyberattacks
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Four best practices outlined that can help prevent health care cyberattacks, which increased from 2016 to 2017, according to a report published in Managed Healthcare Executive.
Education About Imaging Most Often Given by Ordering Provider
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing imaging examinations, 78 percent reported receiving some form of pre-examination information, while 52 percent sought information themselves, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in Radiology.
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EHRs Not Sufficient to Ensure Success in Value-Based Care
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Electronic health records (EHRs) are not sufficient to ensure success in value-based care, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Open-Label Placebo May Reduce Fatigue in Cancer Survivors
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Open-label placebo (OLP) may reduce fatigue in cancer survivors, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Scientific Reports.
Premature Dementia Risk May Be Up in Survivors of Heart Defects
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Congenital heart disease (CHD) is associated with increased risk of dementia in adults, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in Circulation.
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Top Consumer Concerns Reported About Physicians
FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Health care consumers have four major concerns regarding their physicians, according to a report published by Managed Healthcare Executive.
Poll: Personal Beliefs Shouldn’t Allow Doctors to Refuse to Treat
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most people do not believe that professionals including health care providers should be allowed to refuse to provide services based on their conscience or beliefs, according to a recent HealthDay/The Harris Poll.
FDA Says U.S. Will Now Produce Critical MRI Component
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A long-feared shortage of a substance used in millions of medical imaging procedures each year in the United States appears to have been avoided, federal officials report.
Low Serum Sodium Linked to Cognitive Decline in Older Men
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Low serum sodium is associated with cognitive impairment and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older men, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Updated Review Confirms Worse Stroke Outcomes for Women
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women have more activity limitations and worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after stroke, according to a review published online Feb. 8 in Stroke.
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Positive Age Beliefs May Protect Seniors Against Dementia
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Positive age beliefs may protect against dementia, even among older individuals with APOE ε4, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in PLOS ONE.
Drowsiness May Be Factor in About 10 Percent of Crashes
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Drowsiness may be a factor in about 10 percent of crashes, more than previously indicated in federal estimates, according to a report published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Expenditures Rising for Treating Obesity-Related Illness in U.S.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The amount of U.S. health care resources devoted to treating obesity-related illness in U.S. adults rose 29 percent from 2001 to 2015, according to a review published in the January issue of Clinical Chemistry.
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Humanities Exposure Positively Impacts Medical Students
MONDAY, Feb. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to the humanities correlates with less burnout and higher levels of positive personal qualities among medical students, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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Factors Identified That Impact Physicians IT Adoption
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have considerable concerns about the efficacy and evidence base of health information technology (IT), according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Chronic Disease Major Risk Factor for Cancer, Cancer Mortality
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Chronic disease is associated with a substantial proportion of the risk of incident cancer and cancer mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in The BMJ.
Medicaid Expansion Cuts Out-of-Pocket Spending
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — States that expanded Medicaid cut the probability of non-elderly near-poor adults being uninsured and lowered average out-of-pocket spending, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in Health Affairs.
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NSAID Users Commonly Exceed Daily Limit
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of users who exceed the daily limit of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is “nontrivial,” according to a study published online Jan. 26 in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.
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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Not Found to Up Risk of Heart Disease
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids is not associated with fatal or nonfatal coronary heart disease or major vascular events, according to a review published online Jan. 31 in JAMA Cardiology.
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