Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology 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.
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.
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.
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.
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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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.
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.
FDA Panel Votes Against Approval of Eteplirsen for DMD
TUESDAY, April 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The drug eteplirsen should not be approved for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel said Monday.
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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Reply (subscription or payment may be required)
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.
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.
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.
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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Two Scales Correlate in Assessing Facial Paralysis
FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There is moderately good agreement between the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (FGS) and the eFACE digitally graded facial measurement scale in assessing patients with facial paralysis, according to a study published online April 21 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
CT CAP Rarely Reveals Acute Injury in Low-Velocity Trauma
FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Computed tomographic (CT) chest abdomen pelvis (CAP) examinations rarely show acute traumatic injury in patients who had a low-velocity trauma but have acute head and/or cervical spine trauma without evidence of bodily injury, according to a study published in the May issue of Radiology.
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.
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.
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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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.
Severe Cerebral Damage ID’d on Imaging in Children With Zika
FRIDAY, April 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Children with congenital infection, presumably associated with the Zika virus, have severe cerebral damage identified on imaging, according to a study published online April 13 in The BMJ.
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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.
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.
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.
CDC: Zika Link to Microcephaly, Brain Damage Confirmed
THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Zika virus is a definite and direct cause of microcephaly and other brain-related birth defects, health officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. The CDC made its announcement following an evidence review 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.
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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Hand Movement Restored Via New Technology in Quadriplegia
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A patient with quadriplegia has regained some use of his fingers, hand, and wrist via use of an experimental technology, according to a letter published online April 13 in Nature.
New Assay May Help Improve Detection of Prion Diseases
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A timed in vitro prion protein (PrP) conversion protocol is sensitive for detecting elk chronic wasting disease (CWD) in brain tissues, according to research published online April 8 in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
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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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.
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.
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.
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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Lamotrigine in Pregnancy Not Linked to Certain Birth Defects
THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Despite initial concern from early studies, taking the epilepsy drug lamotrigine during pregnancy may not raise the risk for certain birth defects, according to a study published online April 6 in Neurology.
Adding Chemo May Prolong Lives of Some Grade 2 Glioma Patients
THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Adding chemotherapy to radiation treatment may add years to the lives of patients with grade 2 gliomas, according to research published in the April 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Novel Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Beneficial in PTSD
THURSDAY, April 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a novel mindfulness-based group therapy is associated with increased connectivity between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) regions and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regions, according to a study published in the April issue of Depression and Anxiety.
White Matter Tract Changes in Right Brain in Insomnia
WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with primary insomnia, white matter (WM) tract changes are observed in the right brain, according to a study published online April 5 in Radiology.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Intraarterial Chemo + Radiation May Up Cerebral Infarctions
MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Intraarterial chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer is tied to a higher incidence of cerebral infarction, compared to intravenous CRT, according to a study published online March 25 in Head & Neck.
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).
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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Type 1 Diabetes Tied to Higher Risk of Developing Epilepsy
FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with type 1 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing epilepsy, according to a study published online March 31 in Diabetologia.
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Integrity of Right Brain Predicts Speech Fluency After Stroke
FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients in the chronic phase of left hemisphere stroke with aphasia, right hemisphere white matter integrity predicts speech fluency, according to a study published online March 30 in Neurology.
Inconsistent Link Found Between Oral Health, Cognitive Status
FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There is an inconsistent correlation between oral health and cognitive status in older individuals, according to a review published online April 1 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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