Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for December 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.
Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The lowest-priced generic drugs are more likely to experience shortages, according to a study published in the November issue of Value in Health.
Targeted Muscle Reinnervation Can Reduce Phantom Limb Pain
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Use of primary targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) can prevent or reduce pain in below-the-knee amputees, according to a report published online Dec. 27 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Oculomotor Response to Head Impacts Studied in Youth Football
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Near point of convergence (NPC) values change in response to subconcussive head impacts but begin to normalize over time in high school football players, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An institutional gender equity initiative (GEI) can reduce gender-based salary gaps among medical school faculty, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Study IDs Risk Factors for Violent Sleep Disorder
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is more common among men, as well as those with psychological distress, mental illness, or posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a study published online Dec. 26 in Neurology.
Risk of Arterial Thromboembolic Events Up Prior to Cancer Diagnosis
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In older adults, the risk of arterial thromboembolic events begins to increase 150 days before the date of cancer diagnosis and peaks 30 days before, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in Blood.
ACOG: Interpregnancy Period Should Maximize Women’s Health
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Providers should maximize women’s health during the interpregnancy period, continuing care beyond the immediate postpartum period, according to a consensus report published online Dec. 20 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
FDA Warns Companies on Unsafe, Unapproved Stem Cell Treatments
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After infections tied to unapproved stem cell treatments sent 12 people to the hospital this past year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a stern warning about the products.
FDA News Release
MMWR Report
Mental, Behavior, Developmental Disorders Up With Low-Income
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Children in lower-income households more often receive a diagnosis of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDDs), according to research published in the Dec. 21 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Incident Concussion 5.1 Percent Per Season for Youth Football
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The athlete-level incidence of concussion is 5.1 percent per season for American football players aged 5 to 14 years, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Number of People With Dementia Rose Twofold From 1990 to 2016
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of people living with dementia worldwide more than doubled from 1990 to 2016, according to a study published online Nov. 26 in The Lancet Neurology.
Age, BMI Predict Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Success
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with obstructive sleep apnea, older age and reduced body mass index (BMI) are predictors of upper airway stimulation (UAS) treatment response, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in the European Respiratory Journal.
Growth in Use of Telemedicine Seen From 2005 to 2017
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2017, there was a substantial increase in telemedicine use, although use was still uncommon in 2017, according to a research letter published online Nov. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Higher Than Expected
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite numerous difficulties, early figures show that sign-ups for health coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act are higher than expected.
AP News Article
OCT Imaging Needle Can Detect Blood Vessels in Neurosurgery
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A miniaturized optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging needle can detect blood vessels intraoperatively in the human brain in vivo, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in Science Advances.
Restrictive, Obstructive Lung Disease Linked to Dementia Risk
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Both restrictive and obstructive lung disease are associated with an increased risk for incident dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Global Lifetime Risk for Stroke About 25 Percent in 2016
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The global lifetime risk for stroke was 24.9 percent among adults aged 25 years and older in 2016, according to a study published in the Dec. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Exercise Promotes Executive Functioning in Sedentary Adults
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For sedentary adults at risk for cognitive decline, aerobic exercise (AE) is associated with significant improvement in executive functioning, according to a study published online Dec. 19 in Neurology.
FDA Advisory Panels: Prescribe Naloxone With Opioid Painkillers
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The labels of prescription opioid painkillers should advise doctors to consider simultaneously prescribing the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, two U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panels recommend.
Washington Post Article
Food Allergy Linked to Increased Multiple Sclerosis Activity
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), food allergy is associated with a greater number of attacks and with a higher likelihood of gadolinium-enhancing lesions, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Several Factors Tied to Early Readmission After Hip Fracture Sx
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Several comorbidities are associated with an increased risk for early readmission after hip fracture surgery, according to a study recently published in Injury.
Modifying Criteria for Amnestic MCI Dx Increases Prognostic Accuracy
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Modifying diagnostic criteria to require impairment on at least two memory tests for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis can improve prediction of medial temporal atrophy and conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Brain Imaging and Behavior.
Endocrine Tx Does Not Impair Neuropsychological Performance
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For early-stage breast cancer survivors, endocrine therapy (ET) appears to have no effect on neuropsychological performance or impairment over six years of follow-up, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in Cancer.
Cognitive Decline Similar After Cardiac Surgery, Catheterization
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, declines in memory after heart surgery and cardiac catheterization are similar, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Palliative Care in MS Inpatients Rises From 2005 to 2014
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2014, trends in palliative care use increased substantially among multiple sclerosis (MS) inpatients, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.
Exclusion of Doctors From Public Health Insurance Up 2007 to 2017
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017, the number of physicians excluded from Medicare and state public insurance programs increased, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Lower in Women With Active Migraine
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women with active migraine have a lower risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in JAMA Neurology.
Solriamfetol Feasible for Sleep Apnea-Related Tiredness
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Solriamfetol therapy, compared with placebo, results in improvements in wakefulness and sleepiness measures in patients with excessive sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published online Dec. 6 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Dementia Often Misclassified With Brief Cognitive Assessments
THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — When using brief cognitive assessments, dementia is often misclassified, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in Neurology Clinical Practice.
Persistent Discrimination ID’d Among Physician Mothers
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician mothers experience discrimination in a range of ways, which can impact the medical profession, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in The BMJ.
T2DM Linked to Decline in Verbal Memory, Fluency in Older Adults
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Type 2 diabetes is associated with declines in verbal memory and fluency among older community-dwelling adults, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in Diabetologia.
Certain Sites of Brain Lesions in MS Tied to Bowel Incontinence
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Specific locations of cerebral multiple sclerosis lesions appear to be associated with bowel incontinence, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in the Journal of Neuroimaging.
Dementia Risk Up in Women With Military-Linked Risk Factors
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women with military-related risk factors have an increased risk for developing dementia, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in Neurology.
Medication Errors Resulting in Death Most Common in Elderly
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medication errors in acute care that result in death occur most often in patients older than 75 years, with the most common error category being omitted medicine or ingredient, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.
Enrollment Under the Affordable Care Act Down From Last Year
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is down with just days left to sign up, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
AP News Article
2017 Saw Slowing in National Health Care Spending
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National health care spending slowed in 2017, according to a report published online Dec. 6 in Health Affairs.
Case Numbers of U.S. Children With Polio-Like Illness Hit Record High
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There has been a record number of cases of a rare paralyzing illness among children in the United States this year, according to health officials.
U.S. Medical Schools See Increase in Diversity
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After implementation of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) diversity accreditation standards, U.S. medical schools saw increasing percentages of female, black, and Hispanic matriculants, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Paid Childbearing Policies Lacking for Residents
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Policies for paid childbearing or family leave for residents are lacking at top-ranking medical schools and may be exacerbated by lack of direction from specialty boards, according to two research letters published in the Dec. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Intellectual Engagement Linked to Cognitive Performance Later
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Intellectual engagement is associated with level of cognitive performance in later life but does not influence the trajectory of age-related decline in cognitive performance, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in The BMJ.
Patients May Become Immune to Botulinum Toxin Treatments
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — About 15 percent of patients treated with botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) for dystonia or spasticity can develop an immune response to the treatment itself, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in Neurology.
Risk Up for Later-Born Siblings of Children With ASD, ADHD
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Later-born siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an elevated risk of being diagnosed with the same or the other disorder, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in JAMA Pediatrics.
HIT-Related Stress Linked to Burnout Among Physicians
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stress related to use of health information technology (HIT) is common and predictive of burnout among physicians, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
Veterans Health Administration Hospitals Outperform Non-VHAs
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals outperform non-VHA hospitals for 14 of 15 outcome measures in 121 regions, according to a research letter published online Dec. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Tap Water in Neti Pot Linked to Death From Brain-Eating Amoeba
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The use of tap water in a nasal-flushing Neti pot likely led to a Seattle woman’s death from a Balamuthia mandrillaris brain infection, doctors write in a case study.
AHA Scientific Statement: Low Risk of Side Effects for Statins
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Statins are associated with a low risk for side effects, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) published online Dec. 10 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Smaller Heads Related to Opioid-Related Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Chronic opioid use during pregnancy that causes neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is associated with smaller neonatal head circumference (HC), according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Pediatrics.
Most Insured Patients Not Using Online Portals
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nearly two-thirds of insured adults with a previous health care visit did not use an online patient portal in 2017, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
Lack of Peds Preventive Care Ups Unplanned Hospital Admissions
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A lack of preventive care in infants and children is associated with an increased rate of unplanned hospital admissions, according to a study recently published in BMC Medicine.
Functional Nasal Surgery Can Improve Headache Symptoms
THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For appropriately selected patients, functional nasal surgery is viable for improving headache symptoms, according to a review published in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
FDA Warns of Rare Stroke Risk With Multiple Sclerosis Drug
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A new warning has been added to the multiple sclerosis drug Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) after rare reports of patients suffering strokes and tears in the lining of the arteries in the head and neck, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
Migraine With Aura Linked to Increase in Incident A-Fib
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Migraine with aura is associated with an elevated risk for incident atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Nov. 14 in Neurology.
Few Physicians Work in Practices That Use Telemedicine
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Only 15.4 percent of physicians work in practices that use telemedicine for a wide spectrum of patient interactions, with larger practice size being an important correlate of telemedicine use, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
Many Patients Withhold Information From Clinicians
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many patients intentionally withhold information from clinicians, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Network Open.
HHS Issues Draft Strategy for Reducing Health IT Burden
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a draft strategy to reduce the health information technology (IT) burden, and the strategy is open for public comment through Jan. 28, 2019.
Urate Elevation in Potential Tx for Parkinson’s Not Tied to HTN
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is no correlation between urate and blood pressure (BP) in mice or among patients with early Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a study published in the November issue of EBioMedicine.
CDC: Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases Appear to Have Peaked for 2018
MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in the United States this year appears to have peaked and is expected to decline for the remainder of 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Prevalence of Ever-Diagnosed ASD 2.79 Percent in U.S. Children
MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of ever-diagnosed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is 2.79 percent in the United States, with state-level variations in prevalence, according to a study published online Dec. 3 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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