Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in HIV & AIDS for February 2015. 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.
AMA: Key Steps for Minimizing Liability Risk in Telemedicine
FRIDAY, Feb. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Key steps should be taken to minimize the potential risk of liability resulting from use of telemedicine, according to an article published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Use of Injected Opioid Tied to HIV Outbreak in Indiana
THURSDAY, Feb. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Addicts’ use of a powerful painkiller is driving a large HIV outbreak in Indiana, according to health officials.
Health Highlights: Feb. 26, 2015
Post-Op Mortality Low Among HIV Patients Prescribed ART
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 25, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients with HIV infection receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) have increased 30-day postoperative mortality versus uninfected patients, although absolute incidence is low, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in JAMA Surgery.
SVR Rates Up With New Regimens for HCV and HIV Coinfection
TUESDAY, Feb. 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and HIV coinfection, new regimens are effective and correlate with high rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) after treatment, according to two studies published online Feb. 23 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Undiagnosed/Untreated HIV Implicated in Most New Cases
MONDAY, Feb. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Undiagnosed and untreated people with HIV may be responsible for more than nine out of 10 new infections, according to research published online Feb. 23 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Patients Say Cost Matters Greatly in Choosing Doctor
FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The number one determining factor for selecting a doctor is whether the physician is in-network, according to a report published by Vitals.
Fast-Replicating HIV Strains Damage Immune System Earlier
FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Fast-replicating strains of HIV damage the immune system in the very early stages of infection, resulting in quicker disease progression, according to a study published online Feb. 17 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
‘Remission’ Replaces ‘Functional Cure’ in HIV Case
THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — All babies born with HIV should receive the same rapid medical response as the young Mississippi girl born with the virus who suffered a disappointing relapse last July, despite the fact that the virus later reappeared, according to a letter published in the Feb. 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Doctors, Pharmacists Least Likely Health Pros to Divorce
THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Doctors appear less likely to get divorced than most other health care professionals, according to research published online Feb. 18 in The BMJ.
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Fear of Discrimination Keeps Many LGBT Med Students Silent
THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Fear of discrimination is a major reason why about one-third of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) medical students stay “in the closet,” new research finds. The study was published online Feb. 16 in Academic Medicine.
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Article Emphasizes Importance of Apology in Medical Error
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Apology laws, which prohibit certain statements or expressions of sympathy by a physician from being admissible in a lawsuit, are unnecessary if physicians understand the importance of saying sorry and offering accountability after an error, according to an article published Feb. 4 in Medical Economics.
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High Deductible Plans Factor Into Physician-Patient Relationship
MONDAY, Feb. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In an environment where patients are increasingly aware of the costs of health care, physicians need to be prepared to address these issues with their patients, according to an article published Feb. 4 in Medical Economics.
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Various Strategies Used by Patients With HIV, Chronic Pain
MONDAY, Feb. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For individuals with HIV and chronic pain, various pain self-management strategies are employed, including physical activity, cognitive and spiritual strategies, and substance use, according to a study published online Feb. 3 in Pain Medicine.
Patients Tend to Prefer Formal Physician Attire
FRIDAY, Feb. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients often prefer physicians with formal attire and white coats, according to a systematic review published online Jan. 19 in BMJ Open.
Limited Evidence on Management of Dyslipidemia in HIV
FRIDAY, Feb. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A detailed guide has been presented for clinicians who manage dyslipidemia in HIV-infected patients. The guide, based on and extrapolated from guidelines for the general population, has been published online Feb. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Latino Physician Shortage Has Worsened Since 1980
FRIDAY, Feb. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — From 1980 to 2010 the Latino physician shortage worsened, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in Academic Medicine.
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HIV+ to HIV+ Kidney Transplantation May Be Feasible
THURSDAY, Feb. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New research from South Africa suggests that HIV may not be a barrier for kidney transplants between people infected with the virus. The study appears in the Feb. 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Seven Tips Help Doctors Prepare for Meaningful Use Audits
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Given that physicians are chosen for meaningful use (MU) audits at random, the best way to prepare is for a physician to assume they will be audited, according to an article published Jan. 28 in Medical Economics.
Americans’ Complementary Health Approaches Changing
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Yoga is increasingly popular among U.S. adults and children, two new government surveys reveal. Both surveys, which were published Feb. 10 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), looked at the overall use of alternative or complementary medicine among Americans.
Report – Adults
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Research Misconduct ID’d by FDA Often Unreported in Literature
TUESDAY, Feb. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A review of U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspection reports between 1998 and 2013 revealed 57 clinical trials in which regulators had uncovered violations serious enough to earn the agency’s most severe classification — “official action indicated,” or OAI. The findings were published online Feb. 9 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Confidence Not Accurate Measure of Prescribing Competence
MONDAY, Feb. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For medical students, self-reported confidence in prescribing only weakly correlates with actual competence, according to a study published online Feb. 4 in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Motivational Interviewing Can Help Reach Nonadherent Patients
FRIDAY, Feb. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Motivational interviewing can be a useful approach for reaching noncompliant patients, according to an article published Jan. 22 in Medical Economics.
CDC: HIV-Related Mortality Disparities Persisting for Blacks
THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of HIV-related mortality is still highest among blacks, and over half of all newly identified HIV-positive persons are black, according to two reports published in the Feb. 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Perspective on Dr. Davidson: ‘Be Like Mike’
THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The tragic shooting of surgeon Michael Davidson can be used as an opportunity to find meaning in tragedy, according to a perspective piece published online Feb. 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Smartphone Accessory Could Help Detect HIV, Syphilis
THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A smartphone accessory that can detect HIV and syphilis has been developed by Columbia University researchers. The findings were published in the Feb. 4 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
Low Adherence to Daily HIV Prophylaxis in High-Risk Women
THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In a population of predominantly young, unmarried women in sub-Saharan Africa, daily adherence to oral or vaginal tenofovir-based formulations was low, and no regimen significantly reduced the risk of HIV-1 acquisition. The study was published in the Feb. 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Patient Engagement Can Cut Costs, Improve Outcomes
MONDAY, Feb. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patient engagement initiatives can decrease costs without sacrificing quality care, according to an article published Jan. 22 in Medical Economics.
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