Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Psychiatry 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.
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.
Picture-Guided Cards Can Help Chaplains Provide Spiritual Care
FRIDAY, April 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Picture-guided spiritual care is feasible among mechanically ventilated adults and may reduce their anxiety, according to a study published online April 20 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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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.
Mindfulness Therapy May Help Ease Recurrent Depression
WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may help reduce the risk of repeated episodes of depression, according to a study published online April 27 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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.
Atomoxetine Use Doesn’t Up Suicide Risk in Children
WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Treatment with the selective noradrenalin-reuptake-inhibitor atomoxetine is not associated with increased suicide risk compared with stimulant use in children and adolescents, according to a study published online April 26 in Pediatrics.
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Certain Nutraceuticals May Augment Antidepressant Effects
WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Certain nutritional supplements may improve the effectiveness of antidepressants, according to research published online April 26 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
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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.
No Link for Smoking Cessation Meds, Mental Health Issues
MONDAY, April 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) don’t appear to raise the risk of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, according to a new study published online April 22 in The Lancet.
CDC: Suicide Rate Up 24 Percent in the United States Since 1999
FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Suicide rates in the United States rose 24 percent between 1999 and 2014, with young girls and middle-aged men accounting for the largest increases, according to an April data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Heavy Cannabis Use in Teen Years Tied to Earlier Mortality
FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Men who were heavy cannabis smokers in their teens may not live as long as those who did not use cannabis when they were young, according to a study published online April 22 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
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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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Anthracyclines May Not Trigger ‘Chemo Brain’
FRIDAY, April 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Anthracyclines are not related to “chemo brain,” according to a research letter published online April 21 in JAMA Oncology.
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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.
CBT Helps Teens With Depression Who Refuse Antidepressants
WEDNESDAY, April 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Teenagers with depression who refuse antidepressants may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, according to a study published online April 20 in Pediatrics.
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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.
Review: Paroxetine Reduces Vasomotor Symptoms
TUESDAY, April 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, paroxetine reduces vasomotor symptoms, according to a review and meta-analysis published online April 7 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
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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Doctors, Midwives Struggle With Guilt After Traumatic Childbirth
MONDAY, April 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Most Danish obstetricians and midwives report having been involved in a traumatic childbirth, and frequently have inner struggles with guilt and existential considerations, according to research published online April 13 in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.
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.
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.
Brain Network Charts Could Help Predict Attention Impairment
THURSDAY, April 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Growth charting methods identify a correlation between intrinsic connectivity networks (ICN) and attention performance, according to a study published online April 13 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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.
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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Androgen Deprivation Tx for Prostate CA Tied to Depression
TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Older men who receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer may be at increased risk of developing depression, according to a new, large study published online April 11 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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.
Nurses Play Crucial Role in Identifying Victims of Trafficking
MONDAY, April 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been developed for emergency nurses in terms of recognizing and responding to the needs of victims of human trafficking; the position statement was published in the March issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
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.
Diabetes Weight Loss Diets Improve Emotional Measures
FRIDAY, April 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), weight loss diets, regardless of composition, improve psychological measures, including depression, mood, and quality of life, according to a study published online March 23 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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.
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.
Hydromorphone May Be New Treatment for Heroin Addiction
WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hydromorphone may be another treatment option for heroin addiction, according to a new Canadian study published online April 6 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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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Distress Still High After Chemo Completion in Childhood ALL
WEDNESDAY, April 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Emotional distress is common in children during and after therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), according to a study published online March 29 in Cancer.
More Risky Drinking Behaviors for Women With Eating Disorders
TUESDAY, April 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women with eating disorders more often exhibit risky drinking behaviors than their unaffected peers, according to a study published online April 1 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Child Mental Health Care Varies Widely in Primary Care Settings
FRIDAY, April 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For children aged 4 to 18 years, mental health diagnoses and psychotropic medication prescribing vary across practices in the United States, according to a review published online April 1 in Pediatrics.
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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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