Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pediatrics for January 2015. 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.
National Prenatal Screening Program Increased CHD Detection
FRIDAY, Jan. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of a national screening program in the Netherlands increased the prenatal detection rate of congenital heart disease (CHD), according to a study published online Jan. 27 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
Cardiovascular, Cerebral Effect for Red Bull + Mental Stress
FRIDAY, Jan. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Red Bull consumption combined with mental stress correlates with increased blood pressure (BP) and heart rate, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
CDC: Measles Cases in January Top Typical Load for Entire Year
FRIDAY, Jan. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The United States has seen more cases of measles in January than it usually does in an entire year, federal health officials said Thursday.
Starting Football Young May Lead to Higher Cognitive Risks
THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Boys who start playing tackle football before the age of 12 may face a higher risk for neurological deficits as adults, according to research published online Jan. 28 in Neurology.
Benefits Package Important for Attracting, Retaining Staff
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An appropriately-targeted benefits package is crucial for attracting and retaining employees, according to an article published Jan. 22 in Medical Economics.
Sugary Drink Consumption Tied to Earlier Menarche
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Girls who consume a lot of sugary drinks may begin menstruating earlier than girls who don’t, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in Human Reproduction.
Sedation Protocol Doesn’t Reduce Duration of Ventilation in PICU
TUESDAY, Jan. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For children in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) mechanically ventilated for acute respiratory failure, the use of a sedation protocol does not reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation, according to a study published in the Jan. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
FDA Approves Generic Form of Nexium
TUESDAY, Jan. 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The first generic version of Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium delayed-release capsules) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease in adults and children ages 1 and older.
Childhood Neglect Appears to Affect White Matter Integrity
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Childhood neglect is associated with changes in the brain’s white matter, according to research published online Jan. 26 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Menu Calorie Data May Prompt Parents to Encourage Exercise
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Parents might order fewer calories for their children if menus included calorie counts or information on how much walking would be required to burn off the calories in foods, according to a study published online Jan. 26 in Pediatrics.
High Penicillin Prescribing Could Build Reservoirs of Resistance
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — High penicillin G prescribing may lead to an altered level of resistance in the commensal viridans group streptococci (VGS) population, which may be important in subsequent horizontal gene transfer events, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
AAP Approves 2015 Vaccine Schedule for Children, Teens
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The 2015 recommended childhood and adolescence immunization schedules have been approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other medical organizations, according to a policy statement published online Jan. 26 in Pediatrics.
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2015 Immunization Schedule
AAP Opposes Legalization of Marijuana
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Marijuana shouldn’t be legalized because of the potential harm it can cause children and adolescents, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. However, the group’s updated policy statement, published online Jan. 26 in Pediatrics, does support the compassionate use of marijuana for children with debilitating or terminal illnesses.
Morphine Linked With Adverse Outcomes Post-Tonsillectomy
MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of morphine post-tonsillectomy should be limited, as it may be unsafe in certain children, according to a new study published online Jan. 26 in Pediatrics.
HPV Vaccination Often Not Timely for Girls
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Only about half of American girls begin receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at the recommended age, according to a study published in the Jan. 29 issue of Vaccine.
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AAP Urges Parents to Vaccinate Children Against Measles
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The number of people infected with measles linked to the outbreak at Disney amusement parks in Southern California now stands at 70, health officials reported Thursday.
Video-Based Tx May Benefit Babies at Risk for Autism
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Therapy involving “video feedback” — where parents watch videos of their interactions with their baby — might help prevent infants at risk for autism from developing the disorder, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in The Lancet Psychiatry.
Smaller Goals to Start Could Boost Activity in Sedentary
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Current targets call for 150 minutes of weekly exercise — or 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week — to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although these standards don’t need to be abandoned, they shouldn’t be the primary message about exercise for inactive people, experts argue in two separate analyses published Jan. 21 in The BMJ.
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Optimal Gestational Weight Gain in Obese Moms May Vary
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For some obese women, gestational weight gain (GWG) below that recommended in the current guidelines may be advised to reduce the risk of certain adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to research published online Jan. 18 in Obesity Reviews.
ASCO Reports Biggest Clinical Cancer Advances for 2015
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The biggest clinical cancer advances for 2015 have been identified in an annual report from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, published online Jan. 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Physicians Rank the Best EHR Systems of 2014
THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have ranked electronic health record (EHR) systems based on five key performance areas, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Survival Rates for Extremely Premature Infants on Rise
THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More extremely premature U.S. infants — those born after only 22 to 28 weeks of gestation — are surviving, according to a new study published in the Jan. 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Risks for Ebola Virus-Infected Pregnant Women Discussed
THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Ebola virus-infected pregnant women are at risk for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, according to an article published online Jan. 14 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
Collaboration Between Med Students Cuts Diagnostic Errors
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For fourth-year medical students, working collaboratively is associated with a reduction in diagnostic errors, according to a research letter published in the Jan. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Docs Should Negotiate Health Care Payer Contracts
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The terms in health care payer contracts are not immutable, and contracts should be negotiated, according to an article published Jan. 9 in Medical Economics.
Physicians Hit Barriers in Making Cancer Referrals
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many physicians report encountering barriers when referring cancer patients to specialty care, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of Cancer.
Bullying Linked to Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Children
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For 8- to 11-year-olds, bullying is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms, according to a study published in the February issue of The Journal of Urology.
Dyslipidemia, High BP Prevalent Among U.S. Youth
MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — About one in five children and adolescents had adverse lipid concentrations, and one in ten had borderline high or high blood pressure (BP) in 2011 to 2012, according to research published online Jan. 19 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Age at Gluten Introduction Not Linked to Risk of Celiac Disease
MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The age of introduction of gluten is not associated with risk of celiac disease (CD) in genetically predisposed children, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in Pediatrics.
Researchers Weigh in on Youth Pizza Consumption
MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — On any given day in the United States in 2009 to 2010, one in five young children and nearly one in four teens ate pizza for a meal or snack, and when pizza is consumed, it makes up more than 20 percent of the daily intake of calories, according to findings reported online Jan. 19 in Pediatrics.
Missed, Refused Vaccines Appear in ‘Clusters’
MONDAY, Jan. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated appear to be clustered in certain areas, a new study suggests. The report was published online Jan. 19 in Pediatrics.
Most Docs Work 40 to 60 Hours Per Week
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians work long hours, with most working 40 to 60 hours per week and a considerable proportion working 61 to 80 or more hours per week, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Teenage Acne Linked to Melanoma in Women
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — There appears to be an association between teenage acne and melanoma, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Cancer.
CDC: This Year’s Flu Vaccination Offers 23 Percent Protection
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — This season’s influenza vaccine reduces the risk of needing medical care because of the flu by only 23 percent, according to research published in the Jan. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Patient-Selected Audio Therapy May Ease Pediatric Post-Op Pain
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Going through a surgery often means postoperative pain for children, but listening to their favorite music might help ease their discomfort, according to a new study published online Jan. 3 in Pediatric Surgery International.
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Sedentary Lifestyle Worse for Health Than Obesity
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Being sedentary may be twice as deadly as being obese, a new study suggests. However, even a little exercise — a brisk 20-minute walk each day, for example — is enough to reduce the risk of an early death by as much as 30 percent, the British researchers added. The report was published online Jan. 14 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Working Long Hours? Beware Risky Alcohol Consumption
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Working long hours may raise the risk for alcohol abuse, according to a new study of more than 300,000 people from 14 countries. The report was published online Jan. 13 in The BMJ.
Study Examines Trends in Tracheotomy Malpractice Suits
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Malpractice litigation relating to complications from tracheotomies can result in high award amounts, especially in pediatric cases, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Head & Neck.
Rotavirus Vaccine Effective in Reduction of Morbidity
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Widespread vaccination against rotavirus cuts children’s rates of infection, according to a new study funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published online Jan. 12 in Pediatrics.
Guidelines Presented for Clinical Documentation in 21st Century
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines have been developed for clinical documentation and interrelated issues. The position paper has been published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Short-Term Effects of Middle School Football Analyzed
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Children who play football in middle school don’t appear to have any noticeable short-term brain damage from repeated hits to the head, new research suggests. The report was published online recently in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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No Negative Consequences of Guidelines for Antibiotic Therapy
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), there are no negative consequences associated with use of guideline-recommended antibiotic therapy, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Uninsured Visits to Community Health Centers Down Post-ACA
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) — There was a 40 percent drop in uninsured visits to community health centers in states where Medicaid was expanded during the first half of 2014, when compared to the prior year, while Medicaid-covered visits to those clinics rose 36 percent, according to new research. The findings were published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Preschool ‘Head Start’ Could Help Combat Childhood Obesity
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Children in the U.S. preschool Head Start program tend to have a healthier weight by kindergarten than similarly aged children not in the program, according to a new report published online Jan. 12 in Pediatrics.
Brief Well-Child Visit Inadequate for ID of Autism Risk
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The 10 to 20 minutes of a typical well-child visit isn’t enough time to reliably detect a young child’s risk of autism, according to new research published online Jan. 12 in Pediatrics.
Disney-Related Measles Outbreak Now Includes 3 States
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A measles outbreak linked to Disney theme parks in California included 19 people in three states as of Friday, according to health officials.
High Rates of Missed Diagnoses of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among youth, the rate of missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is 86.5 percent, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in Pediatrics.
Caustic Ingestion Can Be Mistaken for Anaphylaxis
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For children presenting with an unclear history, caustic ingestion (CI) can be mistaken for anaphylaxis due to similarity of symptoms, according to two case reports published online Jan. 12 in Pediatrics.
CDC Urging Flu Vaccination, Prompt Use of Antivirals
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Thousands of people are being hospitalized and 26 children have died from influenza so far, Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a Friday press briefing.
AMA Reports on How Docs Use Their Free Time
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association recently surveyed physicians to find what activities they pursue when not in the exam room.
Possible Link Between E-Cigs, Risk of Infections
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Vapor from electronic cigarettes may increase young people’s risk of respiratory infections, regardless of whether or not it contains nicotine, according to a new laboratory study reported in a recent issue of PLOS ONE.
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CDC: Occupationally Acquired HIV Now Rare
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Documented occupational acquisition of HIV has now become rare in the United States, according to research published in the Dec. 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Three-Step Intervention Can Reduce Pediatric Drug Errors
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A three-step intervention addressing the diverse causes of medication errors can reduce these errors in a pediatric setting, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
California Measles Cases Linked to Disney Park Visits
THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Seven people in California and two in Utah with confirmed cases of measles likely contracted the illness during visits to Disney theme parks in December, according to California health officials.
Earlier Life Adiposity Trajectories Linked to NAFLD in Teens
THURSDAY, Jan. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Earlier life trajectories of adiposity are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescents, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Intensive Management Lengthens Lifespan in T1DM
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus can reduce their overall risk of premature death by conducting multiple blood glucose tests throughout the day and constantly adjusting insulin levels to hit very specific blood glucose targets. These findings are published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Experts Discuss Pros and Cons of Maintenance of Certification
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The pros and cons of the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) are discussed in two articles published in the Jan. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Article Highlights Top Technology Challenges for 2015
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The introduction of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) audits, meaningful use 2, and the burdens of technology are the top four technological challenges for physicians in 2015, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
CDC: Outpatient Visits for Flu-Like Symptoms Up
TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The current flu season, already off to a rough start, continues to get worse, with 43 states now reporting widespread flu activity and 21 child deaths so far, U.S. health officials said Monday.
Following AAP Guidelines Averts Kernicterus in Jaundiced Infants
TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Newborns with significant jaundice are not likely to develop kernicterus if American Academy of Pediatrics’ treatment guidelines are followed, according to a new study published online Jan. 5 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Article Highlights Top Management Challenges for 2015
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Considerable challenges are projected to impact practice management in 2015, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Prolonged Bed Rest May Worsen Concussion Recovery
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For teens who suffer a mild concussion, more rest may not be better — and may be worse — in aiding recovery from the brain injury, new research suggests. The findings of the small study were published online Jan. 5 in Pediatrics.
Screens in Sleep Environment Linked to Sleep Duration
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Sleep duration is associated with sleeping near a small screen, sleeping with a television in the room, and more screen time, while perceived insufficient rest or sleep correlates with the presence of a small screen and screen time, according to a study published online Jan. 5 in Pediatrics.
Mediators Explain Paternal Depression, Child Behavior Link
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The correlation between depression in fathers in the postnatal period and subsequent child behavior is mainly mediated by the family environment, according to a study published online Jan. 5 in Pediatrics.
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