Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for June 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.
Poll Finds Seniors Struggling With Drug Costs Don’t Seek Help
FRIDAY, June 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Many older Americans who have difficulty paying for their medications don’t seek help in finding more economical options, according to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.
EPO Doping Has Little Effect on Real-World Cycling Performance
FRIDAY, June 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For well-trained cyclists, erythropoietin improves a laboratory test of maximal exercise, but does not affect submaximal exercise or road race performance, according to a study published online June 29 in The Lancet Haematology.
Higher IQ in Childhood Associated With a Longer Life
THURSDAY, June 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A high IQ in childhood is associated with lower risk of mortality due to coronary heart disease and stroke, cancers related to smoking, respiratory diseases, digestive diseases, injury, and dementia, according to a study published online June 28 in The BMJ.
Health of the Nation Presented in 40th Annual CDC Report
THURSDAY, June 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The health of the United States is summarized in the 40th annual report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors Urged to Take Care With Electronic Communications
THURSDAY, June 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Care should be taken when conveying electronic messages to patients, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Even Low Levels of Pollution Raise Mortality Risk for Seniors
THURSDAY, June 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Air pollution may shorten the lives of American seniors, even in areas where levels fall below national safety standards, according to a study published in the June 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
ACA Health Insurance Expansion Tied to Fewer Cardiac Arrests
THURSDAY, June 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A dramatic decrease in cardiac arrest has occurred among Oregon residents who gained access to health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a study published online June 28 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
FDA Seeks to Increase Number of Generic Drugs on Market
WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — New measures to increase the number of generic prescription drugs available to Americans have been taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
E-Cigarette Use Ups Odds Teens Will Smoke Tobacco Cigarettes
WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Teens and young adults who use electronic cigarettes are almost four times as likely as their non-vaping counterparts to begin smoking traditional cigarettes, according to a review published online June 26 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Number of Hospitalizations for Heart Failure Declining
WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The number of Americans hospitalized for heart failure has dropped substantially since 2002, but blacks still face higher risks, according to a study published online June 27 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Shift Work May Affect the Body’s Ability to Repair DNA Damage
TUESDAY, June 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Capacity to repair everyday damage to cell DNA could be impaired in people who work the night shift, which may be due to melatonin suppression, according to a study published online June 26 in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
Reduced Cancer-Independent Life Expectancy in Head, Neck Cancer
TUESDAY, June 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients with head and neck cancer have reduced life expectancy, independent of cancer, according to a study published online June 22 in Head & Neck.
More Racial Disparity With Medicare Advantage
MONDAY, June 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medicare Advantage is associated with more racial disparity than traditional Medicare for hospital readmissions, according to a study published online June 21 in Health Affairs.
Anti-TNF-α Rx Improves Sleep Quality in Ankylosing Spondylitis
FRIDAY, June 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy improves sleep quality (SQ) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) without any improvement in polysomnography (PSG) measures, according to a study published online May 29 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Protective Association Identified for Asthma Against Sepsis
THURSDAY, June 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with infections, those with asthma have reduced risk of sepsis, according to a letter to the editor published online May 22 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
1991-2014 Saw Minimal Change in Health Spending Per State
THURSDAY, June 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — From 1991 to 2014 there was minimal change in health spending by state, according to a study published online June 14 in Health Affairs.
Early Loop Diuretic Tx Tied to Lower Mortality in Heart Failure
WEDNESDAY, June 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute heart failure, early treatment with loop diuretics is associated with lower in-hospital mortality, according to a study published online June 19 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Nivolumab Doesn’t Up PFS in Stage IV or Recurrent NSCLC
WEDNESDAY, June 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with previously untreated stage IV or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), nivolumab is not associated with longer progression-free survival than chemotherapy, according to a study published in the June 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Education Can Promote Self-Management in CVD Conditions
WEDNESDAY, June 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Therapeutic patient education interventions can promote self-management in selected cardiovascular conditions, according to a scientific statement published online June 19 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Support for Financial Penalties Up With Emphasis on Patient Harms
TUESDAY, June 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians who receive information about patient harms are more likely to support financial penalties targeting inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, according to a research letter published online June 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Age a Factor in Patients Leaving Hospital Against Medical Advice
TUESDAY, June 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Although patients aged 65 and older are four times less likely to leave the hospital against medical advice than adults under 65, race/ethnicity and poverty appear to increase this risk in elderly inpatients, according to a study published online June 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Health Insurers Recruiting Former Pharma Reps to Cut Costs
FRIDAY, June 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health insurers are recruiting former pharmaceutical company representatives to educate doctors and help save money on prescription medications, according to a report published June 8 in Kaiser Health News.
Risk Factors Explain Most Heart Failure Risk in Incident A-Fib
FRIDAY, June 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Four modifiable factors account for most of the population attributable risk of heart failure among women with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online June 14 in JACC: Heart Failure.
20 Percent of Hospital Patients Have Side Effects From Abx Rx
FRIDAY, June 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About 20 percent of U.S. hospital patients who receive antibiotics experience side effects from the drugs, according to research published online June 12 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
CDC: 2015 to 2016 Saw Drop in Youth Tobacco Use
FRIDAY, June 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For the first time since the U.S. government began tracking electronic-cigarette use among American youth, a new report, published in the June 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, shows fewer teens are vaping.
AMA Endeavors to Increase Transparency of Rx Pricing
THURSDAY, June 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) is calling for more transparency in drug pricing amid rising costs that are putting some lifesaving medications out of reach for patients and communities.
Limited Change With Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program
WEDNESDAY, June 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, started in 2013, has not improved clinical-process and patient-experience measures, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Antiplatelet Bleeding Risk Higher Than Expected for Older Patients
WEDNESDAY, June 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Long-term daily aspirin use is linked to a higher-than-expected risk of disabling or fatal bleeding in patients aged 75 and over, according to a study published online June 13 in The Lancet.
Sleep Apnea Linked to Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes
WEDNESDAY, June 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) and with progression to pre-/proliferative DR, according to a study published online June 8 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Beta-Blockers Cut Mortality for Patients in Sinus Rhythm
TUESDAY, June 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in sinus rhythm, beta-blockers reduce mortality regardless of pre-treatment heart rate, according to a study published in the June 20 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Algorithm Performs Poorly
TUESDAY, June 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The traditional idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) algorithm performs poorly, with positive predictive value of 42.2 percent and sensitivity of 55.6 percent, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Medical Students Lacking Proficiency in BP Measurements
MONDAY, June 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medical students frequently do not achieve mastery of the skills necessary for accurate measurement of blood pressure (BP), according to a study published online April 28 in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension.
Lumacaftor, Ivacaftor Linked to Improved Lung Function in CF
MONDAY, June 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients aged 6 to 11 years with cystic fibrosis homozygous for F508del-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), lumacaftor and ivacaftor treatment is associated with significant improvement in lung function, according to a study published online June 9 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Review: Depression Screening As Inpatient Important, Feasible
MONDAY, June 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Depression affects about one-third of hospital patients and could slow their recovery, according to research published recently in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
New Bill With Tort Reforms Will Protect Iowa Physicians
FRIDAY, June 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A new bill with tort reforms to protect Iowa physicians will take effect July 1, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Global Climate Change Could Cause Rise in Airway Irritation
FRIDAY, June 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Climate change may increase people’s exposure to an outdoor fungus that can damage airway cells, leading to a rise in asthma and allergy symptoms, according to a study published online recently in the American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology.
Omalizumab Protects Against Early, Late Allergic Responses
THURSDAY, June 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with a significant response to allergen challenge, omalizumab induces protective effects against early (EAR) and late allergic reactions (LAR), according to a study published online June 5 in Allergy.
U.S. Leads in Income-Based Health Care Inequalities
THURSDAY, June 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The United States has larger income-related differences in perceptions of health and health care than other middle- and high-income countries, according to a report published in the June issue of Health Affairs.
Drop in Admission for Aspiration Pneumonia From 2002 to 2012
THURSDAY, June 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — From 2002 to 2012 there was a decrease in the incidence of admission for aspiration pneumonia, according to research published in the June 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Health System Sees Success With E-Visits Via Patient Portal
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patient portals can successfully offer access to physicians without office visits, according to a report published online May 30 by the American Medical Association.
Lifespan Up With Adoption of Four Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Adoption of four healthy lifestyle behaviors is associated with increased lifespan for men and women, according to a study published online May 31 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Abnormal Chest Radiograph in Active Uveitis Often Sarcoidosis
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Most patients with active uveitis of unknown origin with abnormal chest radiographs have findings consistent with sarcoidosis, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
CDC: Legionella Present in Hospital, Nursing Home Plumbing
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Legionella has been found in the water systems of hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, putting the most vulnerable patients at risk, U.S. health officials said Tuesday.
CDC: High-Deductible Health Plan Use Rising Among Employers
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — High-deductible health plans are becoming more common among U.S. adults with employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, according to a report issued June 6 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Inpatient Progress Note Content Often Cut and Pasted
WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Less than 20 percent of progress note content is entered manually by medical students, residents, and direct care hospitalists, according to a research letter published online May 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Many Taking NOACs for A-Fib May Not Be Getting Right Dose
TUESDAY, June 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Nearly one in six Americans taking non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation may not be receiving the proper dose, according to a study published in the June 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Positive Clinical Effects Seen for Placebos Without Deception
TUESDAY, June 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Open-label placebos are associated with a positive effect compared with no treatment in a variety of clinical conditions, according to a review and meta-analysis published online May 30 in the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine.
Grass Pollen SLIT Slows Course of Allergic Rhinitis, Asthma
MONDAY, June 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is associated with slower AR progression and less frequent asthma onset, according to research published online May 31 in Allergy.
U.S. Emergency Departments Commonly Overcharging Patients
FRIDAY, June 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Americans are routinely overcharged for emergency department care, and minority and uninsured patients are most likely to face this issue, according to a study published online May 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Cool Water Works As Well As Hot for Ridding Hands of Germs
FRIDAY, June 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For effective hand hygiene, water temperature matters less than time, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Food Protection.
Short-Term Benefits for Immunotherapy in Allergic Asthma
FRIDAY, June 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Administration of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in patients with allergic asthma leads to lower short-term symptom and medication scores, according to a review published online May 19 in Allergy.
Excess Weight Increases Costs Across Health Care Settings
THURSDAY, June 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Excess weight is associated with increased costs across health care settings, with the highest percentage increases seen in costs for medications, according to research published online May 22 in Obesity Reviews.
Medication Adherence Up With Refill Synchronization Model
THURSDAY, June 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An appointment-based model (ABM) which synchronizes medication refills to improve medication adherence is associated with improvement in medication-taking behavior, according to a review published online May 8 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
MicroRNA Biomarker Signature Identified for Allergic Asthma
THURSDAY, June 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Certain plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) are differentially regulated in allergic asthma and correlate with clinical characteristics, according to an experimental study published online May 17 in Allergy.
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