Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for May 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.
WHO Changes Advisory Regarding Sexual Transmission of Zika
TUESDAY, May 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women planning to become pregnant should wait at least eight weeks before trying to conceive if they or their partner live in — or are returning from — areas where Zika virus infections are occurring, U.N. health officials now recommend.
Next-Generation Sequencing Can ID Rare Diseases in Newborns
TUESDAY, May 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Next-generation sequencing may greatly improve a physician’s ability to quickly diagnose rare genetic diseases in newborns, according to research published online May 30 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
AHRQ Communication Toolkit Can Help After Patient Harm Occurs
TUESDAY, May 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new communication toolkit created by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) can help health care organizations and providers communicate with patients and families when harm occurs to patients.
CDC: Fatal Abusive Head Trauma Among Children Down in the U.S.
FRIDAY, May 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Half as many infants and preschoolers in the United States are dying from abusive head trauma as in 2009, according to research published in the May 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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FDA Approves Probuphine Implant for Opioid Dependence
THURSDAY, May 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever buprenorphine implant to treat opioid dependence, the agency said Thursday in a news release.
Remaining Uninsured May Be Difficult to Reach Via ACA
FRIDAY, May 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Uninsurance rates have decreased since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but reaching the remaining uninsured may prove challenging, according to a health policy brief published online May 23 in Health Affairs.
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Recognition of Patient Expertise Can Improve Adherence
FRIDAY, May 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Recognizing the unique role of patients and their expertise within the physician-patient interaction can help to prevent non-adherence based on disagreement, according to an article published online May 18 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Eight Immune Genes Identified As Playing a Role in Glioblastoma
THURSDAY, May 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have identified immune genes that may affect mortality in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, according to a study published online May 25 in Neurology.
Genetic Analysis Offers Options for Some Developmental Delay
THURSDAY, May 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Genetic analysis can improve diagnosis and management of intellectual developmental disorder and unexplained metabolic abnormalities, according to research published online May 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Loss of Y Chromosome in Blood Tied to Alzheimer’s Risk in Men
TUESDAY, May 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Men who experience the loss of chromosome Y (LOY) from their blood cells as they age may have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published online May 23 in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
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Hyperglycemia Tied to Outcomes in Pediatric Stroke
TUESDAY, May 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For children with arterial ischemic stroke, infarct volume and hyperglycemia, but not hypertension and fever, correlate with poor neurological outcome, according to research published online May 23 in JAMA Neurology.
Blood Pressure Variability Tied to Faster Cognitive Decline
TUESDAY, May 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Variability in blood pressure (BP) readings may predict more rapid cognitive decline in older patients, according to research published online May 23 in Hypertension.
AAP Recommends at Least One Full-Time Nurse in Every School
MONDAY, May 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Every school should have at least one full-time registered nurse, according to a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement published online May 23 in Pediatrics.
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Opioid Prescriptions Drop for First Time in Two Decades
MONDAY, May 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a sign that the opioid epidemic might be waning, new data show that the number of opioid prescriptions has dropped for the first time in 20 years.
Study Suggests a Low-Salt Diet Could Harm Certain Patients
MONDAY, May 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Restricting dietary salt to below 3,000 mg a day appears to increase the risk for cardiovascular disease similar to that of hypertension patients who eat too much salt, according to research published online May 20 in The Lancet.
Improved Outcomes With Fast Reperfusion in Acute Stroke
FRIDAY, May 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with acute stroke treated with stent retrievers, fast reperfusion leads to improved functional outcome, according to a study published in the June issue of Radiology.
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Major Stroke May Be Prevented by Taking Aspirin After TIA
FRIDAY, May 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Taking aspirin immediately after a transient ischemic attack (TIA) significantly reduces the risk of a major stroke, according to research published online May 18 in The Lancet.
Sulfonylureas May Inhibit KATP Channel Neuroprotection
FRIDAY, May 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Treatment with sulfonylureas (ATP-sensitive potassium [KATP] channel blockers) may inhibit the neuroprotective effects of KATP channel activation and increase the risk of stroke, according to an experimental study published online May 13 in Diabetes.
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Early Loss of Islet Sympathetic Nerves in Type 1 Diabetes
FRIDAY, May 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Early, marked, and sustained loss of islet sympathetic nerves is seen in type 1, but not type 2, diabetes mellitus, according to a study published online May 13 in Diabetes.
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Strategies Can Help Streamline Revenue-Related Processes
THURSDAY, May 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Strategies can be employed to maximize the amount of time available for patient care by streamlining revenue-related processes, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
Pregabalin in Pregnancy Linked to Increased Risk of Birth Defects
THURSDAY, May 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The widely prescribed drug pregabalin (Lyrica) may slightly increase the risk for birth defects, according to a study published online May 18 in Neurology.
Inaccuracy in Administrative Hospital Coding Data
THURSDAY, May 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Inaccurate coding can introduce biases in studies based on administrative data, according to research published online May 16 in The BMJ.
Burnout, Lack of Job Satisfaction Driving Doctors to Cut Hours
WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Full-time physicians reporting worsening burnout or decreased job satisfaction are more likely to reduce their work hours, according to a study published in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Prophylactic High-Dose rhEPO No Benefit for Preemies
WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Prophylactic early high-dose recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) given intravenously to very preterm infants does not improve neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years corrected age, according to a study published in the May 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Sexual Harassment Experienced by One-Third of Female Doctors
WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Thirty percent of female physicians face sexual harassment on the job, while close to three-quarters perceive gender bias at work and two-thirds say they have actually experienced it, according to survey findings published in the May 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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IOM Committee Finds Genetically Engineered Crops Safe
WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Crops created through genetic engineering are as safe to eat as crops developed through traditional plant-breeding methods, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Narrow Band of Green Light May Ease Migraine Symptoms
TUESDAY, May 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A treatment involving a narrow spectrum of low-intensity green light may help ease migraine pain, according to a study published online May 17 in Brain.
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Ambulatory BP Monitoring Can Help ID Masked Hypertension
TUESDAY, May 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring could help identify undetected hypertension in at-risk populations, according to a study published online May 16 in Hypertension.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Beneficial in BED
TUESDAY, May 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is beneficial in binge-eating disorder (BED), with decreased cravings for sweets, savory proteins, and all foods, according to a study published online May 9 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Complementary Medicine Use Up With Chronic Conditions
MONDAY, May 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Adults with multiple chronic conditions frequently use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a study published online May 5 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Fall Risk Up With Initiation, Intensification of HTN Meds
FRIDAY, May 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, initiation and intensification of antihypertensive medication is associated with a short-term increased risk of serious fall injuries, according to a study published online May 10 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Even Mild Football Head Injury Can Cause Visual Disturbance
FRIDAY, May 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Repeated blows to the head can cause near point of convergence (NPC), even if the individual impacts aren’t strong enough to cause a full-fledged concussion, according to research published online May 12 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
U.S. Stroke Hospitalizations Down Overall, but Rising for Some
THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — While Americans suffered fewer acute ischemic strokes overall from 2000 to 2010, stroke rates climbed substantially among younger adults and blacks, according to study findings published online May 11 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Metreleptin Ups Resting-State Connectivity in Lipodystrophy
WEDNESDAY, May 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with lipodystrophy (LD), resting-state connectivity is significantly increased in three brain areas with metreleptin treatment, with decreased hunger feelings and diminished incentive value of food, according to a study published online May 10 in Diabetes.
Yoga, Meditation Show Memory, Mood Benefit in Seniors
WEDNESDAY, May 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A regular meditation practice might benefit older adults beginning to experience memory deficits, according to a study published online May 10 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
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CDC Updates Zika Testing Guidance for Urine Samples
TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The interim diagnostic testing guidance for Zika virus in public health laboratories has been updated, according to a report published in the May 10 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Pesticides May Raise Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to pesticides and other chemicals may increase the risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study published online May 9 in JAMA Neurology.
Cutting Brand-Name Drug Use Could Save U.S. $73 Billion
TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Americans could save tens of billions of dollars with more efficient drug use, replacing brand-name drugs with their generic equivalents whenever possible, according to a study published online May 9 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Blood Pressure Patterns Could Help Predict Stroke Risk
TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The overall pattern of blood pressure over time better predicts a patient’s risk of stroke or early death, according to a study published online May 9 in Hypertension.
Exercise Reduces Fatigue, Depression, Paresthesia in MS
MONDAY, May 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For females with multiple sclerosis (MS), the addition of exercise programs to standard immune modulatory therapy can improve fatigue, depression, and paresthesia, according to a study published in the May issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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CDC Establishes New ‘Clean Hands Count’ Campaign
MONDAY, May 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has introduced a new campaign, “Clean Hands Count,” to encourage health care professionals, patients, and patients’ families to keep their hands clean in order to prevent health care-associated infections.
Preadmission SSRI Use Ups Stroke Mortality in Diabetes
MONDAY, May 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with diabetes, preadmission selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use is associated with increased risk of stroke mortality, according to a study published online May 3 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Long-Term Treatment Benefit Seen in Relapse-Onset MS
FRIDAY, May 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with relapse-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), disease-modifying therapy protects against long-term disability accrual, according to a study published online May 4 in the Annals of Neurology.
Portable, Rapid, Low-Cost Zika Test Shows Promise in Monkeys
FRIDAY, May 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A fast, inexpensive test that detects the Zika virus in monkeys might be useful for doctors working far from hospitals, according to a study published online May 6 in Cell.
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New Evidence of Link Between Zika and Guillain-Barré
FRIDAY, May 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — There is new evidence that Zika may cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to findings presented at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference, held from May 2 to 5 in Atlanta.
AHA: Stroke Patients Should Start Rehab Before Leaving Hospital
THURSDAY, May 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New guidelines for rehabilitation after a stroke have been published online May 4 in Stroke.
Physician Leadership Training May Help Counteract Burnout
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Physician leaders with good leadership qualities are more likely to have employees who are satisfied and do not show signs of burnout, according to a study published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and a report published by the American Medical Association.
Price Transparency Tool Doesn’t Cut Health Care Spending
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Employee use of a price transparency tool does not cut health care spending, according to a study published in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
CDC: Behavioral Therapy Recommended First for ADHD
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Behavior modification therapy is preferable to medication for treating children 2 to 5 years old who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), U.S. health officials say.
High School Football Players Have Most Post-Concussion Symptoms
TUESDAY, May 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — High school football players are more likely to suffer more symptoms after a concussion, and to need more recovery time than their college counterparts; however, those who play in youth football leagues are the most likely to get back on the field less than 24 hours after a concussion, according to research published online May 2 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Report: Why Health Care Costs Are Lower in Europe Than U.S.
TUESDAY, May 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — European residents have access to the same health care services as U.S. residents but pay much less, and this is related to several specific factors, according to a report published by INDIGOMED on April 25.
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2017 May Offer Fewer Choices for Affordable Care Act Enrollees
MONDAY, May 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — With the nation’s largest health insurer exiting all but a few Affordable Care Act exchanges next year, some Americans may be left with fewer choices and some might see higher monthly premiums.
FDA Approves Nuplazid for Parkinson’s Hallucinations
MONDAY, May 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Nuplazid (pimavanserin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Glaucoma May Result From White Matter Degeneration
MONDAY, May 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Glaucoma may be associated with lower fractional anisotropy in the optic radiations, forceps major, and corpus callosum, possibly as a result of white matter degeneration, according to a study published online April 25 in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics.
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