Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Geriatrics for January 2018. 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.
Eye Tests Tied to Less Dementia in Older Drivers Who Crash
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Vision testing and in-person renewal requirements are significantly related to a reduced prevalence of dementia in older adults hospitalized after car crashes, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in Neurology.
Characteristics of Asymptomatic Paroxysmal A-Fib Identified
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), determinants of asymptomatic status have been identified, and mortality is increased for these patients, according to a study published in the December issue of CHEST.
Early Alzheimer’s Tied to Rest-Activity Rhythm Fragmentation
TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and aging are independently associated with rest-activity rhythm fragmentation among cognitively normal adults, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in JAMA Neurology.
Regulators Trying to Reduce Physician Burden Linked to EHR
MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is trying to address some of the issues relating to physician electronic health record (EHR) burden, partly with the appointment of Don Rucker, M.D., who is skilled in informatics and board-certified in emergency and internal medicine, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Health Care Spending Up, Mainly Due to Rising Prices
MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Americans under age 65 years who were insured through their employer spent more than ever before on health care in 2016, with faster spending growth in 2016 than in recent years, according to the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI)’s annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report.
Hearing Loss Common Among Heart Failure Patients
MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nearly three-quarters of patients aged 70 or older with heart failure (HF) have hearing loss, according to a research letter published online Jan. 25 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
Much Hip Fx Variation in Nursing Homes Remains Unexplained
FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Much variation in the incidence of hip fractures in U.S. nursing home facilities remains unexplained, even after examining characteristics at the state and facility levels, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Odds of Post-Op Mortality Increase As Weekend Approaches
FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Following elective surgery, the odds of mortality rise in a graded manner as the day of the week of surgery approaches the weekend, according to research published in the February issue of Medical Care.
Solanezumab Doesn’t Affect Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s
FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, solanezumab administered every four weeks does not alter cognitive decline, according to a study published in the Jan. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Heart Disease, Stroke Risk Up Even Smoking 1 Cigarette/Day
THURSDAY, Jan. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Smoking one cigarette per day is still associated with a significant increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, according to research published online Jan. 24 in The BMJ.
Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention May Aid Cognition in APOE ε4 Carriers
THURSDAY, Jan. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A multidomain lifestyle intervention seems to be beneficial for cognition in older at-risk individuals, even among apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carriers, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in JAMA Neurology.
Cognitive Training Aids Memory in People With Mild Impairment
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cognitive training improves memory in older patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to a study published online Jan. 4 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Periodontitis in Older Adults Tied to Higher Total Cancer Risk
TUESDAY, Jan. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with periodontitis have an increased total cancer risk, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Diabetes Tied to Higher Rates of Serious Infection
TUESDAY, Jan. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients with diabetes, particularly type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), are at increased risk of serious infection, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in Diabetes Care.
Out-of-Pocket Expenditures Down With ACA Implementation
TUESDAY, Jan. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was associated with reduced out-of-pocket spending, although increases were noted in mean premium spending, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
New ACC/AHA Recs Developed for BP Evaluation, Management
MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — New recommendations have been developed for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure (BP). The recommendations are summarized in an article published online Jan. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Older Adults Less Likely to Have Provider-Ordered Flu Testing
MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Older adults are less likely than younger adults to have provider-ordered influenza testing, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Confusion Common in Seniors Prescribed Antibiotics for UTI
MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in nursing home (NH) residents, and new or worsening confusion is strongly associated with antibiotic treatment for suspected UTI, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Reminder, Recall Systems Improve Immunization Uptake
FRIDAY, Jan. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patient reminder and recall systems seem to be effective for improving receipt of immunizations, according to a review published online Jan. 18 in the Cochrane Library.
Interactive Simulation Can Affect Activity Intentions in T2DM
FRIDAY, Jan. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An interactive, personalized simulation can change behavioral intentions among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), according to a study published in the January to June issue of JMIR Diabetes.
Falls More Common in Elderly With Cognitive Impairment
THURSDAY, Jan. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Increasing evidence shows that cognitive therapies may help reduce falls in older adults, according to a review published online Jan. 10 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Acute Kidney Injury Ups Risk for Post-Discharge Hypoglycemia
THURSDAY, Jan. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For hospitalized patients with diabetes, acute kidney injury (AKI) is a risk factor for post-discharge hypoglycemia, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in Diabetes Care.
Professionals Disagree About Asking Patients About Sexuality
THURSDAY, Jan. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National Health Service (NHS) England recently recommended that professionals ask all patients their sexual orientation at every opportunity, although opinions are divided on whether this is appropriate, according to an article published online Jan. 17 in The BMJ.
Chaplains Effective in Facilitating Advance Care Planning
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Offering patients a meeting with a chaplain can facilitate advance care planning (ACP) in medical practice, according to a research letter published online Jan. 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Psoriasis Remission Described After Hepatitis C Virus Treatment
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A case of remission of psoriasis after treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been described in a research letter published online Jan. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
USPSTF: Evidence Lacking for Nontraditional CVD Risk Factors
TUESDAY, Jan. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has concluded that current evidence is insufficient to assess the use of nontraditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment. They also conclude that evidence is lacking for the use of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) to screen for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in asymptomatic individuals. These findings form the basis of two draft recommendation statements published online Jan. 16 by the USPSTF.
Evidence Review – CVD
Draft Recommendation Statement – CVD
Comment on Recommendation Statement – CVD
Evidence Review – PAD
Draft Recommendation Statement – PAD
Comment on Recommendation Statement – PAD
Spontaneous Pharynx Perforation After Forceful or Stifled Sneeze
TUESDAY, Jan. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Spontaneous pharyngeal perforation can occur after a forceful sneeze, according to a case report published online Jan. 15 in BMJ Case Reports.
Sauna Exposure Improves Cardiovascular Function
TUESDAY, Jan. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Sauna exposure is associated with improvements in cardiovascular function and arterial compliance, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in the Journal of Human Hypertension.
AMA Offering New Nutrition Science Course for Physicians
FRIDAY, Jan. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) is offering a three-hour online nutrition course for physicians to help patients make the nutritional changes they need to prevent and help treat heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
AMA Online Tools Address Systems-Level Physician Burnout
THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Tools and resources have been developed to help address physician burnout at the systems level, which may affect more than half of doctors, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Hazard Score Can Estimate Age of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A hazard score calculated from 54 single nucleotide polymorphisms can predict age at diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer (PCa), according to a study published online Jan. 10 in The BMJ.
Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Linked to Reduced Frailty
THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For community-dwelling older adults, greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced risk of incident frailty, according to a review published online Jan. 11 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Race, Education Level Predict CRT in Very Elderly With NSCLC
THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In patients aged 80 and older with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), overall survival is improved with concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT), but black race and lower-educated census tract are associated with not receiving care, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Cancer.
Economic Impact of Physicians Quantified for 2015
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have a large economic impact across the nation, creating an aggregate of $2.3 trillion of economic activity and supporting employment of nearly 12.6 million Americans, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Provider Counseling of Exercise for Arthritis Patients Improved
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For adults with arthritis, there was an increase in the age-adjusted prevalence of reporting health care provider counseling for exercise from 2002 to 2014, according to research published in the Jan. 5 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Vitamin D3 Improves Arterial Stiffness in Dose-Response Way
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For overweight African-Americans with vitamin D deficiency, arterial stiffness is improved by vitamin D3 supplementation in a dose-response manner, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in PLOS ONE.
Idalopirdine May Not Improve Cognition in Mild Alzheimer’s
TUESDAY, Jan. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The use of idalopirdine does not improve cognition versus placebo over 24 weeks of treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to research published in the Jan. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Physical Activity Doesn’t Seem to Reduce Risk of Frailty in Elderly
TUESDAY, Jan. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A long-term physical activity program is not associated with reduced risk of frailty among community-dwelling older adults with functional limitations, according to a study published online Jan. 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Charting Intervention Improves Geriatric Assessment Notes
MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A quality improvement intervention can improve documentation of geriatric assessments during transitions of care, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Adjuvanted Shingles Subunit Vaccine Likely More Cost-Effective
MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The new adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit vaccine (HZ/su) is cost-effective compared with the currently recommended live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine (ZVL), according to a study published online Jan. 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Repeated Flu Vaccinations Help Prevent Severe Infection
MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Vaccination for influenza for multiple seasons is twice as effective in preventing severe influenza — compared with non-severe influenza — in older patients admitted to hospital, according to a study published in the Jan. 8 issue of CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Physicians Frequently Continue to Work While Ill
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many physicians continue working and caring for patients while they are sick, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
For Hospitals, No Benefit for Early Adoption of Financial Incentives
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hospitals that volunteered to be under financial incentives for more than a decade as part of the Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration (early adopters) do not have better process scores or lower mortality than hospitals where these incentives were implemented later under the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing program (late adopters), according to a study published online Jan. 4 in The BMJ.
Cancer Death Rate Continuing to Decline in United States
FRIDAY, Jan. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In both men and women in the United States, the cancer death rate declined by about 1.5 percent annually from 2006 to 2015, according to a study published online Jan. 4 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Certain Stresses, Burnout Causing Some Women to Leave Medicine
THURSDAY, Jan. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Though equal numbers of men and women are now entering medical schools, the majority of physicians are still male, and female physicians face several unique stressors, according to a report published online in Medical Economics.
Scripted Callbacks Do Not Prevent 30-Day Returns of ER Discharges
THURSDAY, Jan. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older adults discharged to home from the emergency department, telephone follow-up does not improve outcomes, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Serum Caffeine, Metabolites May Predict Early Parkinson’s Disease
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Serum levels of caffeine and its metabolites could be diagnostic biomarkers for early Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a study published online Jan. 3 in Neurology.
Silent Myocardial Infarction Linked to Heart Failure Risk
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Silent myocardial infarction (SMI) is associated with an increased long-term risk of heart failure, according to a study published in the Jan. 2 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Outcome Scores Predict Discharge Destination Post Stroke
TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute or subacute stroke, outcome measure scores are associated with discharge destination, according to a review published in the January issue of the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy.
Pre-Op Accelerometry Can Assess Cardiopulmonary Fitness
TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients scheduled for major surgery, preoperative accelerometry can assess cardiopulmonary fitness and act as a supplement to formal cardiopulmonary exercise tests, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in Anaesthesia.
Pharmaceutical Aids Not Found to Be Helpful for Smoking Cessation
TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pharmaceutical aids are not effective for increasing long-term smoking cessation, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Increase Seen in Gabapentinoid Use From 2002 to 2015
TUESDAY, Jan. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2002 to 2015 there was a substantial increase in gabapentinoid use, according to a research letter published online Jan. 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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