Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for February 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.
Lifetime Risk for Atrial Fibrillation Is One in Seven in Taiwan
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For adults in Taiwan, the lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation is about one in seven, according to a study published in the February issue of CHEST.
Urinary 8-oxoGsn Promising Biomarker for Physiologic Age
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGsn) is a promising biomarker for physiologic age, corresponding more closely with age than 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGsn), according to a study published online Feb. 27 in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
New Risk Score Assesses Stroke Risk After MI Without A-Fib
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A new risk score incorporates readily accessible risk factors associated with the occurrence of stroke in patients after myocardial infarction (MI) in the absence of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published in the Feb. 20 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Early Studies Often Show Exaggerated Treatment Effect
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Trials to evaluate drugs or devices used to treat chronic medical conditions that are published early in the chain of evidence often show an exaggerated treatment effect compared with subsequent trials, according to research published online Feb. 21 in the Mayo Clinical Proceedings.
Low Risk of Serotonin Syndrome for Triptans + SSRI/SNRI
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A low risk of serotonin syndrome is seen in association with concomitant use of triptans and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressants, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in JAMA Neurology.
CABG May Be Best for Patients With DM, LV Dysfunction
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with a significant reduction in major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events and mortality compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD), and left ventricular dysfunction (LVD), according to a study published in the Feb. 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Recommendations for Optimizing Hidden Curriculum in Medicine
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a position paper published online Feb. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians (ACP) presents recommendations for optimizing clinical learning environments by fostering a positive hidden curriculum in medicine.
Understanding Rx Nonadherence Can Improve Adherence
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Understanding nonadherence in patients and encouraging a change in attitude toward patients and their medication can improve medication adherence, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Prevalence of ALS Remained at 5.0/100,000 in U.S. in 2014
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was 5.0 per 100,000 persons in 2014, which was unchanged from 2013, according to research published in the Feb. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Artificial Intelligence May Help Prevent Physician Burnout
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Artificial intelligence (AI), in which computers can be trained to recognize patterns in large quantities of data, may be able to reduce physicians’ burdens, saving them time and energy, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Cognition Deficits Seen in Children With Chronic Kidney Disease
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may have deficits in global and domain-specific cognition, according to a review published online Feb. 22 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Neurosurgery Residents Burned Out, but Satisfied With Career
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Rates of burnout and career satisfaction are both high among neurosurgery residents, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
CDC: No Change in Percentage of Uninsured in U.S. From ’16 to ’17
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The percentage of uninsured U.S. persons of all ages did not change significantly from 2016 to the first nine months of 2017, according to a report published online Feb. 22 by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Alcohol Use Disorders Tied to Increased Risk of Dementia Onset
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol use disorders are associated with increased risk for dementia onset, especially early-onset dementia, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in The Lancet Public Health.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness, White Matter Integrity Tied to Cognition
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with better white matter (WM) fiber integrity in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to a study published recently in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
In A-Fib Patients, Stroke Risk Higher for Blacks Than Whites
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Compared with whites, blacks are at increased risk of developing an ischemic stroke either before or after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Feb. 20 in Heart Rhythm.
Prenatal Valproate Exposure May Impact School Performance
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — School performance is significantly lower for children with prenatal exposure to valproate, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in JAMA Neurology.
Burnout Found Prevalent Among Doctors in Single Health System
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Burnout is prevalent among physicians, affecting over one-third of physicians in a single health system, and is associated with health care delivery, according to a research letter published online Feb. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Mortality Risks of Exclusive Cigar, Cigarette, Pipe Use ID’d
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Exclusive current cigarette and cigar use is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Anticoagulants in Seniors With A-Fib, CKD Ups Stroke, ICH Risk
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For older patients with concomitant chronic kidney disease and a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, anticoagulants are associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke and hemorrhage, but with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in The BMJ.
Molecular Markers May ID Alzheimer’s Before Clinical Onset
FRIDAY, Feb. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For young adults with autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (AD), molecular markers can identify changes associated with the disease before clinical onset, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in JAMA Neurology.
Many in Oregon View Alcohol As More Harmful Than Marijuana
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Just more than half of surveyed adults consider alcohol to be more harmful than marijuana, according to a study published in the April issue of Preventive Medicine.
Patients Want Physicians to Have Greater Connectivity
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most patients want greater connectivity, online tools and text messaging, as well as more time with their physicians, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Pimavanzserin Cuts Alzheimer’s Psychosis at Six Weeks
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pimavanserin is efficacious at six weeks for patients with Alzheimer’s disease psychosis but not at 12 weeks, according to a study published in the March issue of The Lancet Neurology.
Rise in Use of Antihypertensives in Delivery With Preeclampsia
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Use of antihypertensive treatments during delivery hospitalizations in women with preeclampsia has increased since 2006, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Short Stature in Childhood Tied to Higher Stroke Risk in Adulthood
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Short stature at 7 to 13 years is significantly associated with increased risks in adulthood of ischemic stroke (IS) in both sexes and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in men, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in Stroke.
New Tool Measures Impact of Brachial Plexus Injury
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A new questionnaire can measure the impact of brachial plexus injury (BPI) and assess surgical outcomes, according to a study published in the Feb. 7 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
FDA Approves First Blood Test to Evaluate Potential Concussions
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The first blood test designed to help health care professionals evaluate mild traumatic brain injury has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Nusinersen Beneficial in Later-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nusinersen is associated with significant and clinically meaningful improvement in motor function among children with later-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a study published in the Feb. 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Stress Reduction May Help Reduce Epileptic Seizures
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Both focused attention and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) result in reductions in seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in Neurology.
In Alzheimer’s, BACE1 Inhibition May Reverse Amyloid Deposition
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Sustained and increasing BACE1 inhibition can reverse amyloid deposition in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to a study published online Feb. 14 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Mean Depth of Ultrasonographic Penetration Greater in Autism
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a significantly greater mean depth of ultrasonographic penetration, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Lipoproteins, Lipids Have Similar Ties to MI, Ischemic Stroke
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Lipoproteins and lipids are similarly associated with risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke (IS) but not intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), according to a study published in the Feb. 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Four Best Practices Outlined to Prevent Health Care Cyberattacks
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Four best practices outlined that can help prevent health care cyberattacks, which increased from 2016 to 2017, according to a report published in Managed Healthcare Executive.
Treating Depression Found to Up Successful Opioid Cessation
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Antidepressant medication (ADM) adherence is associated with cessation of long-term prescription opioid use among patients with non-cancer pain, according to a study published in the February issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Education About Imaging Most Often Given by Ordering Provider
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing imaging examinations, 78 percent reported receiving some form of pre-examination information, while 52 percent sought information themselves, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in Radiology.
Limited Evidence for Effect of Cranial Electrical Stimulation
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Evidence for the effectiveness of cranial electrical stimulation (CES) is sparse, according to a review published online Feb. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
EHRs Not Sufficient to Ensure Success in Value-Based Care
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Electronic health records (EHRs) are not sufficient to ensure success in value-based care, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Cognitive Enhancement Therapy Beneficial for Adults With Autism
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For adults with autism spectrum disorder, cognitive enhancement therapy (CET) is associated with significant differential increases in neurocognitive function relative to enriched supportive therapy (EST) and increased likelihood of gaining competitive employment, according to a study published recently in Autism Research.
Ability to ID Face Paralysis in Others Increases With Severity
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Laypersons’ ability to identify facial paralysis increases with the severity of the condition, although individuals are not always able to accurately localize paralysis on the face, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
Premature Dementia Risk May Be Up in Survivors of Heart Defects
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Congenital heart disease (CHD) is associated with increased risk of dementia in adults, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in Circulation.
Top Consumer Concerns Reported About Physicians
FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Health care consumers have four major concerns regarding their physicians, according to a report published by Managed Healthcare Executive.
CDC: Parent-Reported Head Injuries in 7.0 Percent of Children
FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In 2016, 8.3 percent of boys and 5.6 percent of girls aged 3 to 17 years had ever had a significant head injury in their lifetime, according to a February data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
Poll: Personal Beliefs Shouldn’t Allow Doctors to Refuse to Treat
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most people do not believe that professionals including health care providers should be allowed to refuse to provide services based on their conscience or beliefs, according to a recent HealthDay/The Harris Poll.
FDA Says U.S. Will Now Produce Critical MRI Component
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A long-feared shortage of a substance used in millions of medical imaging procedures each year in the United States appears to have been avoided, federal officials report.
Low Serum Sodium Linked to Cognitive Decline in Older Men
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Low serum sodium is associated with cognitive impairment and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older men, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Positive Age Beliefs May Protect Seniors Against Dementia
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Positive age beliefs may protect against dementia, even among older individuals with APOE ε4, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in PLOS ONE.
Updated Review Confirms Worse Stroke Outcomes for Women
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women have more activity limitations and worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after stroke, according to a review published online Feb. 8 in Stroke.
Mogamulizumab Cuts Infected Cells in HTLV-1 Myelopathy
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy-tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM-TSP), treatment with the humanized anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody that targets infected cells, mogamulizumab, decreases the number of HTLV-1-infected cells, according to a study published in the Feb. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Prenatal Natalizumab Exposure Linked to Miscarriage Risk in MS
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS), natalizumab exposure is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (SA), and longer periods of natalizumab washout predict relapse during pregnancy, according to two studies published online Feb. 7 in Neurology.
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Marked Variation Seen in Care Quality for TIA, Minor Stroke
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Care quality for patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke varies substantially across elements of care and facilities, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in JAMA Neurology.
PFO Linked to Ischemic Stroke Risk After Non-Cardiac Surgery
TUESDAY, Feb. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery, having a preoperatively diagnosed patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with increased risk of perioperative ischemic stroke, according to a study published in the Feb. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders Estimated
TUESDAY, Feb. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The estimated prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome varies from 1.1 to 5.0 percent among first graders in four U.S. communities, according to a study published in the Feb. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Humanities Exposure Positively Impacts Medical Students
MONDAY, Feb. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to the humanities correlates with less burnout and higher levels of positive personal qualities among medical students, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Factors Identified That Impact Physicians IT Adoption
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have considerable concerns about the efficacy and evidence base of health information technology (IT), according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
TTFields Tied to Improved Survival in Glioblastoma Patients
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with glioblastoma, the addition of tumor-treating fields (TTFields) to standard treatment with temozolomide is associated with improved survival without negative effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) other than itchy skin, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in JAMA Oncology.
Mortality Risk Similar for Career Versus Limited NFL Participation
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Career participation in professional American football seems not to be associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality compared with limited participation, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Medicaid Expansion Cuts Out-of-Pocket Spending
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — States that expanded Medicaid cut the probability of non-elderly near-poor adults being uninsured and lowered average out-of-pocket spending, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in Health Affairs.
Migraine Linked to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Migraine is associated with elevated risks of myocardial infarction, stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic), venous thromboembolism, and atrial fibrillation or flutter, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in The BMJ.
Deep Brain Stimulation May Be Promising Alzheimer’s Treatment
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) at the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) region is well tolerated and is associated with less decline on the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), according to a study published online Jan. 30 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
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