Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for January 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.
Demand for Medical Office Space High and Increasing
FRIDAY, Jan. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Demand for medical office space for ambulatory care is at a high point and looks likely to continue increasing, according to an article published in Forbes.
Many Flavored E-Cigarettes Contain Benzaldehyde
FRIDAY, Jan. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Most flavored electronic cigarettes contain benzaldehyde, which has been shown to cause irritation of the respiratory airways in animal and occupational exposure studies, according to a research letter published online Jan. 28 in Thorax.
AMA Highlights Top Four Issues to Promote in State Legislation
THURSDAY, Jan. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The top four issues that will be promoted in state legislation in 2016 were discussed at the 2016 American Medical Association (AMA) State Legislative Strategy Conference, according to a report published by the AMA.
~1% of Physicians Account for One-Third of Malpractice Claims
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A small number of physicians account for a considerable proportion of all paid malpractice claims, according to a study published in the Jan. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Alternative Payment Models Can Help Improve Patient Care
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Alternative payment models (APMs) have been and are being developed that can allow physicians to offer new and improved services to their patients, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Prenatal Vitamin D Supplements Don’t Reduce Asthma
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There’s been speculation that a daily vitamin D supplement taken in pregnancy might lower the odds for asthma in children. However, two new studies find no evidence for such an effect. Both studies are published in the Jan. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Fiber Intake Linked to Measures of Lung Function
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Fiber intake is associated with measures of lung function in U.S. adults, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Possibility for Health Care Legislation Changes in 2016
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Given the current political climate and issues of bipartisan concern, 2016 could see certain changes to health care legislation, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Pulse Pressure Linked to Multiple Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pulse pressure (PP) is associated with multiple adverse cardiovascular outcomes, according to a study published in the Feb. 2 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Prednisolone Therapy Induces Procoagulant State
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For healthy subjects, 10 days of prednisolone therapy induces a procoagulant state, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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Adjuvant Therapy Ups Survival in Small-Cell Lung Cancer
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with early-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) undergoing resection, treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy or chemotherapy with cranial irradiation is associated with improved survival compared with surgery alone, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Overweight, Obesity Linked to Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
TUESDAY, Jan. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and non-SCD, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Better Value Care at Hospitals With Best Nursing Environments
MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hospitals with better nursing environments provide better value care, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in JAMA Surgery.
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Ivacaftor Appears Efficacious, Safe for Younger CF Patients
MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Ivacaftor is a potential new treatment to offer children aged 2 years and older with cystic fibrosis and a CFTR gating mutation, according to research published online Jan. 20 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Patient Satisfaction With Doctors May Be on the Rise
FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — More Americans than ever are satisfied with their visits to the doctor, according to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll in September.
Inhibition of mTOR Restores Corticosteroid Sensitivity in COPD
FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by rapamycin restores corticosteroid sensitivity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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TB Therapy-Linked Medication Errors Occur Frequently
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Medication errors associated with antituberculosis therapy occur frequently in an inpatient setting, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
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Physicians Choose Less Aggressive Care at End of Life
TUESDAY, Jan. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Physicians facing death are less likely to demand aggressive care, according to two research letters published in the Jan. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on death, dying, and end of life.
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ACP, CDC Offer Antibiotic Rx Guidelines for ARTIs
TUESDAY, Jan. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The American College of Physicians and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued new guidelines for prescribing antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in adults. The guidelines were published online Jan. 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Greater Transparency Being Promoted in Research
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Greater transparency is being promoted in clinical research, according to a health policy brief published online Jan. 14 in Health Affairs.
Design of Physician Satisfaction Surveys Affects Results
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patient satisfaction scores are influenced by the design and implementation of patient surveys, according to an article published in the January-February issue of Family Practice Management.
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Stethoscope Still Valuable Despite Technological Advances
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Despite advances in medical technology, the stethoscope still has important diagnostic value, according to an editorial published online Jan. 15 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Foreign-Born Students in U.S. Have Higher Case Rate of TB
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Foreign-born students in the United States have a higher case rate of tuberculosis (TB) than other foreign-born individuals, according to a study published online Jan. 5 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Pertussis Outbreak Described in Preschool in Tallahassee
MONDAY, Jan. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A report published online Jan. 13 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases highlights a 2013 pertussis outbreak among mainly vaccinated preschool-aged children.
Nonverbal Cues May Reveal a Physician’s Racial Bias
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A physician’s body language may reveal racial bias against seriously ill black patients, according to research published in the January issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
Electronic Cigarettes May Hinder Smoking Cessation Efforts
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — E-cigarette use actually lowers smokers’ chances that they’ll quit tobacco by about 28 percent, according to an evidence review published online Jan. 14 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Diagnostic Imaging Down With High Deductible Health Plans
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — U.S. patients whose health insurance plans have high deductibles undergo fewer diagnostic imaging tests, according to a study published in the February issue of Medical Care.
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Intensified Tx Doesn’t Up Survival in Tuberculous Meningitis
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with tuberculous meningitis, intensified antituberculosis treatment is not associated with higher survival than standard treatment, according to a study published in the Jan. 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nitinol Coils May Up Ability to Exercise With Emphysema
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Lung volume reduction coil treatment may help improve the ability to exercise for patients with severe emphysema, according to a study published in the Jan. 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Allergic Rhinitis Constitutes Considerable Burden
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Allergic rhinitis (AR) constitutes a considerable burden, with patients at increased risk for asthma and various mental health comorbidities, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Allergy.
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Acute Ozone Exposure Ups Stress Hormone in Humans
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Acute ozone exposure increases stress hormones and causes alterations in peripheral lipid metabolism in humans, according to research published online Jan. 8 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Recommendations Developed for Antithrombotic Tx in VTE
TUESDAY, Jan. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New recommendations have been developed for antithrombotic therapy for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The Antithrombotic Therapy for VTE Disease: CHEST Guideline was published online Jan. 7 in CHEST.
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CDC: Nearly Half of U.S. Teens Exposed to Secondhand Smoke
MONDAY, Jan. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Nearly half of American teens who’ve never used tobacco are exposed to harmful secondhand smoke — many in their homes and family cars, according to research published online Jan. 11 in Pediatrics.
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Breast Implants Linked to Chronic Pulmonary Silicone Embolism
MONDAY, Jan. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Chronic pulmonary silicone embolism related to saline breast implants has been detailed in a letter to the editor published in the January issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Financial Obstacles Only Partly to Blame for Low CPAP Acceptance
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea under a copayment health care system, obstacles other than finances are primarily responsible for reduced purchase of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices, according to a study published in the January issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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CDC: TB Potentially Passed From Zoo Elephants to People
FRIDAY, Jan. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Transmission of tuberculosis from infected captive elephants to humans may be possible with long-term, close contact with the animals, according to research published in the Jan. 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
U.S. Cancer Mortality Rates Down 23 Percent Since 1991
THURSDAY, Jan. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Since peaking in 1991, cancer mortality rates in the United States have dropped by 23 percent, according to findings included in Cancer Statistics, 2016, the American Cancer Society’s latest annual report on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival. The report was published online Jan. 7 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Statins May Reduce CVD Risks Linked to Sleep Apnea
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new discovery about the way obstructive sleep apnea may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease also suggests that taking statins might reduce that risk. The findings were published in the Jan. 6 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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Many Patients Using E-Mail As First Method of Provider Contact
TUESDAY, Jan. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic conditions, the ability to communicate with their doctor via e-mail may help improve their health, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in the American Journal of Managed Care.
Hawaii Becomes First State to Raise Smoking Age to 21
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hawaii has become the first state to raise the legal smoking age to 21 for both traditional and electronic cigarettes. State health officials hope the new law, effective Jan. 1, will make it harder for teenagers to try smoking or to develop the deadly habit, the Associated Press reported.
Health Highlights: Jan. 4, 2016
Support for First-Line Erlotinib in NSCLC With EGFR Mutations
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, erlotinib is active, and treatment beyond progression is feasible and may delay salvage therapy in selected patients, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Oncology.
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Powered Intracapsular Tonsillectomy Aids Pediatric OSA
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA) improves severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in pediatric patients, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
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CDC: Heart Failure Mortality Up 2012 Through 2014
MONDAY, Jan. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The age-adjusted mortality rates from heart failure decreased from 2000 to 2012 but increased from 2012 through 2014, according to a December data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
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