Saturday, March 16, 2019

Journal Watch March 2019




CHRONIC PAIN
Blood Test for Pain: A study published in Molecular Psychiatry tracked hundreds of participants at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis to identify biomarkers in the blood that can help objectively determine how severe a patient's pain is. The blood test, the first of its kind, would allow physicians far more accuracy in treating pain -- as well as a better long-term look at the patient's medical future.

Diabetes linked to back pain: People with diabetes have a 35 percent higher risk of experiencing low back pain and 24 percent higher risk of having neck pain than those without diabetes, researchers have found. PLOS ONE

Knee Pain Not Tied to Activity Levels in Knee Osteoarthritis: Knee pain is not associated with daily walking levels in individuals with mild-to-moderate, symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (KOA), according to a study published online March 6 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Menopause Symptoms Linked to Chronic Pain in Midlife: Menopause symptoms are associated with chronic pain among midlife female veterans, according to a study published online March 4 in Menopause.

Autoimmune Disorders May Up Risk for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Common autoimmune disorders are associated with an increased risk for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Academic Physiatrists.


COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
People with osteoporosis should avoid spinal poses in yoga, study says: Yoga postures that flex the spine beyond its limits may raise the risk of compression fractures in people with thinning bones, according to new research from Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Yoga May Help With Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Severity: Yoga may be effective as a complementary or adjunct therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), according to a study published online Feb. 1 in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.

Acupressure Reduces Lasting Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors: Acupressure is associated with improvements in co-occurring symptoms in breast cancer survivors with fatigue, according to a study recently published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum.

Most Patients Do Not Disclose Complementary Medicine Use: Lack of inquiry from providers, fear of disapproval, belief CM is safe among reasons for nondisclosure. Just one-third of users of biologically based complementary medicine (CM) disclose their use to traditional health care providers, according to a review published online Feb. 7 in Scientific Reports.

Acupuncture Alleviates Moderate-to-Severe Menopause Symptoms: Decreases seen in hot flushes, day-and-night sweats, sleep problems, emotional and physical symptoms. BMJ Open

Peer support, healing hands may curb prescription opioid misuse in Chronic Pain Patients: Study shows holistic approach may help prevent drug deaths in vulnerable populations. A program offering group support, acupuncture, mindfulness, massage and gentle exercise may help prevent patients on prescription opioids from spiraling down to drug misuse, overdose and death, according to a new study. Journal of General Internal Medicine


FDA ACTION
• FDA Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., announced his resignation. Ned Sharpless MD, head of the National Cancer Institute will temporarily oversee the FDA
• Warns Americans Not to Buy Drugs from CanaRx, who sell unapproved and mislabeled medicines to Americans.
• Warned that a safety clinical trial has revealed that tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR) 10 mg twice daily is associated with an increased risk for pulmonary embolism (PE) and death among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Warned that the gout medicine Uloric (febuxostat) carries a higher risk of death than allopurinol
Allowed marketing of a new device, ClearMate, intended to be used in an emergency room setting to help treat patients suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Approved a new indication for a heart valve repair device that is intended to reduce moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation
• Approved a new generic of Diovan (valsartan). Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) that treats high blood pressure and heart failure.
• Approved Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray, in conjunction with an oral antidepressant, for the treatment of depression in adults who have tried other antidepressant medicines but have not benefited from them (treatment-resistant depression).

PREVENTION
Moderate muscle strength may lower risk for type 2 diabetes: New research shows building muscle strength may lower risk for the disease by 32 percent. Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Getting a flu shot while hospitalized lowers the chance of a heart attack: Largest study to date bolsters evidence for heart benefits of vaccination. There's now another reason to get your yearly flu shot. Not only can it protect you from the body aches, fever and fatigue associated with a bout of influenza, it may even prevent you from having a heart attack. The study of nearly 30 million hospital records shows that people who got a flu shot while hospitalized had a 10 percent lower risk of having a heart attack that year compared to people who visited a hospital but did not get the vaccine during their stay. American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session

E-Cigarettes May Threaten Goal of Achieving Tobacco Endgame: Concern increasing that use of newer tobacco products may catalyze transition to tobacco products, drugs. There is considerable concern regarding the potential negative impact that electronic cigarettes and other new products may have on ending all tobacco use and nicotine addiction, according to a presidential advisory issued by the American Heart Association and published online March 13 in Circulation.

E-cigarettes linked to heart attacks, coronary artery disease and depression: Concerns about the addictive nature of e-cigarettes -- now used by an estimated 1 out of 20 Americans -- may only be part of the evolving public health story surrounding their use, according to new data. New research shows that adults who report puffing e-cigarettes, or vaping, are significantly more likely to have a heart attack, coronary artery disease and depression compared with those who don't use them or any tobacco products. American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session 

Sustained Smoking Cessation May Delay, Prevent Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis: While smoking is a strong risk factor for seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), sustained smoking cessation could delay or even prevent disease development, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Ultrasound readings of left or right foot can predict good versus poor bone quality: Ultrasonography (US) of the calcaneus is efficient for screening bone health, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Periodontitis may raise the risk for developing dementia: Gum disease (gingivitis) that goes untreated can become periodontitis. When this happens, the infection that affected your gums causes loss in the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis is the main cause of tooth loss in adults. It is also a risk factor for developing dementia, one of the leading causes for disability in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Light physical activity linked to lower risk of heart disease in older women: Light physical activity such as gardening, strolling through a park, and folding clothes might be enough to significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease among women 63 and older, a new study has found. This kind of activity, researchers said, appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease events such as stroke or heart failure by up to 22 percent, and the risk of heart attack or coronary death, by as much as 42 percent. JAMA

A nap a day keeps high blood pressure at bay: Catching some midday shut-eye linked to similar drops in blood pressure seen with other lifestyle changes, some medications. It seems that napping may do more than just reboot our energy level and improve our mood. New research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session found that people who took advantage of a midday snooze were more likely to have a noticeable drop in blood pressure compared with those who didn't nap.


NUTRITION/SUPPLEMENTS/VITAMINS
What is association of dietary cholesterol or eating eggs with risk of cardiovascular disease, death? Eggs are a source of dietary cholesterol. This observational study pooled data from six study groups for more than 29,000 people to determine the associations of consuming dietary cholesterol or eating eggs with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. Adults who ate more eggs and dietary cholesterol had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death from any cause. People need to consume lower amounts of cholesterol to have a lower risk of heart disease, the study authors said.

Eating mushrooms may reduce the risk of cognitive decline: Researchers found that seniors who consume more than two standard portions of mushrooms weekly may have 50 percent reduced odds of having mild cognitive impairment. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease,

Low-carb diet tied to common heart rhythm disorder: Study suggests using caution when restricting carbohydrates for weight loss Low-carb diets are all the rage, but can cutting carbohydrates spell trouble for your heart? People getting a low proportion of their daily calories from carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and starchy vegetables are significantly more likely to develop atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common heart rhythm disorder, according to a new study. American College of Cardiology  

More vitamin D may improve memory but too much may slow reaction time: How much vitamin D can boost memory, learning and decision-making in older adults, and how much is too much? A unique study found that overweight and obese older women who took more than three times the recommended daily dose (a daily dose is 600 IUs) of vitamin D showed improvements in memory and learning -- but also had slower reaction times. The researchers hypothesize that slower reaction times may increase the risk of falling among older people. Journals of Gerontology: Series A 

Daily intake of nutritional supplements cannot prevent depression: The largest randomized clinical trial to study the effects of nutritional strategies on the prevention of major depressive disorder concludes that daily intake of nutritional supplements cannot prevent depression. Science Daily

TREATMENT
Tramadol May Up Mortality Risk in Osteoarthritis Patients: The initial prescription of tramadol compared with commonly prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be associated with increased all-cause mortality among patients with osteoarthritis, according to a study published in the March 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Underweight Status Increases Shoulder Arthroplasty Complications: Underweight patients have a high number of adverse events and postoperative infections after total shoulder arthroplasty, even compared with super morbidly obese patients, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears may have another surgical option: The arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction (SCR) surgical technique offers patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears restored shoulder function and the opportunity to return to sports and physically-demanding work, according to research presented today at the AOSSM/AANA Specialty Day in Las Vegas, Nevada. The study, which examined patient outcomes up to five years after surgery, built upon earlier research, which examined short-term patient results.

 Operative Treatment Seems Most Effective for Adult Lumbar Scoliosis: In as-treated analyses, surgery is superior to nonoperative care at two years among patients with adult symptomatic lumbar scoliosis, according to a study published in the Feb. 20 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. 

Recommendations Developed for Ulcerative Colitis Management: Recommendations have been developed for management of adults with ulcerative colitis (UC); the American College of Gastroenterology clinical guideline was published online Feb. 21 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Surgery no better than medication at preventing serious complications of atrial fibrillation: Catheter ablation, a common cardiovascular procedure, appears no more effective than drug therapies in preventing strokes, deaths, and other complications in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, patients who get the procedure experience much greater symptom relief and long-term improvements in the quality of life, including fewer recurrences of the condition and fewer hospitalizations, than those who get only drugs. The findings are from two new studies published in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Few treatment guidelines for heart disease are based on rigorous study: Less than 10 percent of the treatment recommendations U.S. doctors rely on to manage care for heart patients are based on evidence gained from multiple large, randomized clinical trials -- the gold standard for obtaining scientific data. In fact, the proportion of well-supported recommendations for heart care has actually declined compared to 10 years ago, when an earlier analysis found a similar dearth of rigorous studies supporting treatment guidelines. The latest study, led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute, appears online March 15 in JAMA.

Adding Bempedoic Acid to Statin Therapy Reduces LDL Cholesterol: Bempedoic acid, an inhibitor of ATP citrate lyase (ACLY), added to maximally tolerated statin therapy, significantly reduces levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and/or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, according to a study published in the March 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.


OTHER
National Health Spending Set to Increase 5.5 Percent Annually: Long-observed demographic and economic factors expected to drive growth in health spending. National health spending is projected to increase at an annual rate of 5.5. percent from 2018 to 2027, with fundamental economic and demographic factors the main drivers, according to a report published online Feb. 20 in Health Affairs.

Homes With High Ventilation Rates Tied to Respiratory Issues: People living in homes with high average air exchange rates (AAERs) are more likely to report chronic cough, asthma, or asthma-like symptoms, according to a study published in the February issue of Environmental Research.

Veterans More Likely to Have Heart Disease: After the war is over, veterans face a new threat. They are more likely to have heart disease at a younger age than nonveterans, and this could herald a new health crisis on the horizon. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.

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