Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Ophthalmology for April 2017. 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.
Meeting Organizers Overlooking Qualified Female Scientists
FRIDAY, April 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Invited speakers at medical conferences tend to be disproportionately male, a disparity that can be addressed by actively preparing lists of potential speakers, according to a study published online April 18 in Nature Immunology.
Risk Factors in Six Areas Tied to Physician Burnout
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physician burnout factors include control, whether there is time to deliver excellent care, and whether the workplace is fair, according to a presentation at the Medical Group Management Association/American Medical Association 2017 Collaborate in Practice Conference, held April 9 to 11 in Chicago.
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Single-Payer Health System Bill Moves Forward in California
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A proposal to replace private insurance with government-funded health care for all moved forward in California on Wednesday as Democrats on the Senate Health Committee voted to advance the measure.
Undiagnosed Macular Degeneration Appears Common
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Approximately one-fourth of eyes deemed to be normal based on eye examination by primary eye care physicians have age-related macular degeneration (AMD) determined by fundus photography and trained raters, according to a study published online April 27 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Three Anti-VEGF Treatments Effective for Diabetic Retinopathy
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Three anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatments are associated with low rates of diabetic retinopathy (DR) worsening, according to a study published online April 27 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
MTX + Adalimumab Beneficial in JIA-Associated Uveitis
THURSDAY, April 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Treatment with adalimumab plus methotrexate is effective in children and adolescents with active juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated (JIA-associated) uveitis, according to a study published online April 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Post-Op hsTnT Linked to 30-Day Mortality After Noncardiac Sx
TUESDAY, April 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Peak postoperative high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) is associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality among patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, according to a study published online April 25 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Gene Therapy Strategy Feasible for Retinitis Pigmentosa
MONDAY, April 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A gene therapy strategy can be applied to retinitis pigmentosa, with switching rod to cone-like photoreceptors feasible for restoring visual function, according to an experimental study published online April 21 in Cell Research.
Ophthalmology Patients Interested in Online Notes
THURSDAY, April 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Ophthalmology patients are strongly in favor of accessing doctors’ notes online, according to a study published online April 17 in Ophthalmology & Physiological Optics.
Retinopathy Risk, HbA1c Should Guide Frequency of T1D Eye Care
THURSDAY, April 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients with type 1 diabetes and low risk for diabetic retinopathy may need less frequent ophthalmologic screenings, while patients at high risk may need to be seen more often than once a year, according to a study published in the April 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Potential Benefits, Risks of OpenNotes Discussed
WEDNESDAY, April 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The benefits of sharing notes with patients include improved patient engagement and empowerment, while potential risks may include more phone calls, questions, and increased documentation time, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Long-Term Eye Health at Risk in Infants Born With Zika Infection
TUESDAY, April 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Zika virus may lead to lifelong vision impairment in affected infants, according to research published online April 13 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Glucose Variation Doesn’t Affect Microvascular Complications
TUESDAY, April 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Measures of glycemic variability in type 1 diabetes, based on complete quarterly 7-point glucose profiles, fail to provide evidence that glycemic variability contributes to the risk of development or progression of microvascular complications beyond the influence of mean glucose levels, according to a study published online April 12 in Diabetes Care.
Various Diagnostic Tools Available for Ocular Allergy
TUESDAY, April 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — There are currently various tools available for diagnosing ocular allergy, although several unmet needs remain, according to a position paper published online April 7 in Allergy.
Doctors Need to Be Mindful of What They Post on Social Media
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Young doctors often have unprofessional or offensive content on their Facebook profiles, according to a study published online April 9 in BJU International.
RUNX1 May Play Role in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) gene may play a role in human proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and upregulation may be a marker of aberrant retinal angiogenesis, according to a study published online April 11 in Diabetes.
Uveitis Risk Higher Among Individuals With Psoriasis
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients with severe psoriasis and those with mild psoriasis and concomitant psoriatic arthritis have an increased risk of uveitis, according to a study published online April 13 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
One in Five Post-Op Patients Need Unscheduled Help
MONDAY, April 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A sizable minority of patients need to make contact with health services after outpatient surgery, most often due to inadequate pain management, according to a study published online April 10 in Anesthesiology.
Web-Based Platform Better for Delivering Pre-Op Information
FRIDAY, April 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Attaining preoperative information from an interactive web-based platform is better than conventional brochure material for children aged 3 to 12 years and their parents, according to a research report published online April 10 in Pediatric Anesthesia.
Surgery Often the Starting Point for Opioid Addiction
THURSDAY, April 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Certain surgery patients prescribed opioids for postoperative pain relief may face a higher risk for developing a persistent opioid addiction, according to research published online April 12 in JAMA Surgery.
Recreational Drug ‘Poppers’ Linked to Retinal Damage
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of inhaled “poppers” — volatile alkyl nitrite compounds inhaled for their psychoactive effects such as transient euphoria and sexual arousal — might pose a danger to the user’s vision, according to a study published online April 10 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Integrated E-Prescribing Can Cut Prescribing, Dispensing Errors
MONDAY, April 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An integrated electronic medication prescribing (e-prescribing) and dispensing system can reduce prescribing and dispensing errors, according to a study published online March 30 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
MACRA Changes Government Approach to Doctor Payment
FRIDAY, April 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) has made fundamental changes to the government’s approach to physician payment, according to a March 27 policy brief published in Health Affairs.
Risk Adjustment, Reinsurance Transfer Offer Financial Benefit
THURSDAY, April 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Risk adjustment and reinsurance transfer programs seem to have been effective for increasing revenues at the expense of claims costs, according to research published in the March issue of Health Affairs.
CDC: Birth Defects Seen in 1 in 10 U.S. Pregnancies Affected by Zika
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — One in 10 pregnant U.S. women with confirmed Zika infection in 2016 had a baby with virus-related birth defects, according to research published in the April 4 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Second Opinion Yields Different Diagnosis for 1 in 5 Patients
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — One-fifth of patients who sought a second opinion recently at a single academic medical center had received a different diagnosis from their primary care providers, according to a study published online April 4 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Doctors Must Be Wary of HIPAA Violations With Online Reviews
TUESDAY, April 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should be aware that responding to a negative health care review could potentially expose personal medical information, resulting in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Use of Health Literacy Tools Can Promote Shared Decision Making
MONDAY, April 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of health literacy tools is encouraged for facilitating shared decision making (SDM), according to an article published in the March issue of the AMA Journal of Ethics.
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