Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for May 2017. 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.
Restarting Anticoagulation in Certain VTE Cases Cost-Effective
WEDNESDAY, May 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Restarting anticoagulation therapy may be cost-effective for patients with a predicted one-year venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk of 17.5 percent or higher, according to a study published online May 18 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Modified Vancomycin May Help Fight Bacterial Resistance
WEDNESDAY, May 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Vancomycin can be modified to make it much more potent against resistant bacterial infections, according to a study published online May 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Social Psychology May Help With Physician Error Disclosure
TUESDAY, May 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Lessons from social psychology can be used to improve behavioral changes in terms of error disclosure, according to research published online May 18 in Medical Education.
High-Risk Pools May Represent Step Back for U.S. Health Care
TUESDAY, May 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Proposed legislation as part of the American Health Care Act, which includes the option of high-risk pools, is not likely to reduce costs, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online May 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
New Bill Intends to Repeal Limits on Physician-Owned Hospitals
FRIDAY, May 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would repeal the federal law essentially banning construction of physician-owned hospitals and making it difficult for these facilities to grow, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
New Health Care Act Could Result in 23 Million Losing Insurance
FRIDAY, May 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Republican-led bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that passed the House this month would result in 23 million Americans losing their health insurance coverage, according to a report issued by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
New Interactive Module Aims to Clarify Professional Boundaries
THURSDAY, May 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A new interactive training module in medical ethics can help physicians to understand professional boundaries, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Remission Up for Mepolizumab in Eosinophilic Granulomatosis
THURSDAY, May 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Mepolizumab is associated with significantly more weeks in remission than placebo among patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, according to a study published in the May 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Path to Empathy Deemed As Vital As Being Empathetic
THURSDAY, May 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Different paths to perspective of another’s experience are associated with varying effect on helpers’ health during helping behavior, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Mortality Rates Found Lower at Major Teaching Hospitals
WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Older adults treated at major teaching facilities are less likely to die in the weeks and months following their discharge than patients admitted to community hospitals, according to research published in the May 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Sleep Apnea Reporting Low Among Individuals Aged ≥65
WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — From 1993 to 2011, physicians reported sleep apnea (SA) in 0.3 percent of all office visits among individuals aged 65 years and older, according to a study published online May 4 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Filtered Cigarettes May Up Rates of Lung Adenocarcinoma
TUESDAY, May 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Filtered cigarettes might be even more unhealthy than unfiltered ones, and a new review published online May 22 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that they have been raising rates of adenocarcinomas of the lung.
Poverty Affects Severity of Organ Damage Due to Lupus
MONDAY, May 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Poverty and race are tied to the health of lupus patients in the United States, according to two new studies.
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KIT Inhibition by Imatinib Helps Severe Refractory Asthma
MONDAY, May 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Imatinib (Gleevec) may effectively treat severe refractory asthma, according to research published in the May 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Patients Often Prescribed Futile Drugs in Last Months of Life
MONDAY, May 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients with life-limiting illness often receive medications of questionable benefit given their remaining life span, according to a report published online May 15 in The American Journal of Medicine.
Nine of Ten Practices Surveyed Have Dismissed Patients
MONDAY, May 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The majority of medical practices have dismissed patients, according to a research letter published online May 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
One in Five Cancers in the United States Is Considered Rare
FRIDAY, May 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Rare cancers account for one in five cancers diagnosed in the United States, presenting special challenges to doctors and patients, according to research published online May 19 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
FDA OKs Kalydeco for Additional Mutations in Cystic Fibrosis
THURSDAY, May 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has expanded approval for the cystic fibrosis medication Kalydeco (ivacaftor) to include 33 mutations of the disease, up from the previous 10 mutations.
Tips Provided to Help Physicians Plan for Retirement
THURSDAY, May 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should consider their retirement and plan ahead at all stages of their career, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disease Assessed
THURSDAY, May 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major global burden, despite declines in the mortality rate due to CVD in high-income and some middle-income countries, according to a study published online May 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Treatment in Hospital by Older Doctors Tied to Higher Mortality
WEDNESDAY, May 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Hospitalized patients 65 and older may face a slightly higher risk of dying within a month of their admittance when treated by an older versus younger physician, according to research published online May 16 in The BMJ.
Acute MI Risk Significantly Up Following Respiratory Infection
WEDNESDAY, May 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) increases sharply after a respiratory infection, according to a study published in the May issue of the Internal Medicine Journal.
CDC: Slowing of Decline in Number of Uninsured Adults
WEDNESDAY, May 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The decline in the number of Americans without health insurance stalled in 2016 after five years of progress, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday.
Iron Rx Doesn’t Improve Exercise Capacity in Iron-Deficient HFrEF
TUESDAY, May 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Oral iron supplementation doesn’t improve the exercise capacity of iron-deficient patients with heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF), according to a study published in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Plan Suggested for Reducing Health Care Costs
TUESDAY, May 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health care costs can be reduced, with a nine-step plan suggested as a starting place, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Younger Age at Menopause Tied to Higher Risk of Heart Failure
TUESDAY, May 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Women who undergo menopause early or who never gave birth might have an increased risk of heart failure, according to a study published in the May 23 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Circulating Th17.1 Cells in Melanoma Tied to Sarcoidosis
MONDAY, May 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — There is an association between the presence of abnormally high numbers of circulating Th17.1 cells in melanoma patients prior to receiving anti-programmed cell death (PD)-1 antibody therapy and the onset of sarcoidosis, according to research published online May 8 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Many Seniors With Nonbacterial Acute URI Prescribed Antibiotics
MONDAY, May 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of elderly patients with a nonbacterial acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURI) are prescribed antibiotics, according to research published online May 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Hospitals Need to Be Prepared for Ransomware Attacks
FRIDAY, May 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Hackers are increasingly targeting hospitals, using viruses to lock their computer systems and hold sensitive medical data and other files hostage, according to an observation piece published online May 11 in The BMJ.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program Ups Outcomes
FRIDAY, May 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program is associated with improved outcomes for patients undergoing elective colorectal resection and emergency hip fracture repair, according to a study published online May 10 in JAMA Surgery.
Practice Prices Linked to Some Measures of Care Coordination
THURSDAY, May 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — High-price practices have higher scores on certain measures of care coordination and management, but the overall relationship between higher prices and quality and efficiency of care is weak, according to a report published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
Outpatient Wait Times Are Longer for Medicaid Recipients
THURSDAY, May 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medicaid patients have slightly longer waits at medical appointments than those with private insurance, according to a report published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
Outcomes Up With Same Hospital Readmissions in Heart Failure
THURSDAY, May 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Heart failure patients who are readmitted to the same hospital after their initial treatment are more likely to survive compared to those treated at a different hospital, according to research published online May 10 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Multidrug-Resistant TB Set to Increase Through 2040
THURSDAY, May 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis are expected to increase through 2040, according to a study published online May 9 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Increases in Rates of Insured Don’t Harm Continuously Insured
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Increases in insurance coverage from 2008 to 2014 were not associated with worse access to care for continuously insured adults, according to a study published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
Bundled Payment Initiative Doesn’t Cut Readmission in COPD
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A Medicare Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative does not reduce readmission rates or costs among patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published in the May 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Testosterone Found to Be Protective Against Asthma
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Testosterone may be tied to gender disparity in rates of asthma, according to a study published online May 8 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Adding Selumetinib to Docetaxel Doesn’t Up PFS in NSCLC
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The addition of selumetinib to docetaxel does not improve progression-free survival among patients with previously treated advanced KRAS-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Clinical Benefits for CRT-D Over ICD Even With Comorbidity
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with left bundle branch block, the benefit of cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) over implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) alone persists with comorbidity, according to a study published in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Postmarket Safety Events for 32 Percent of Novel Therapeutics
WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — From 2001 to 2010, 32 percent of novel therapeutics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had a postmarket safety event, according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Evidence-Based Medicine Course Beneficial for Critical Thinking
TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — An evidence-based medicine (EBM) course has some positive effect on medical student critical thinking (CT), according to a study published online April 27 in the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine.
Voriconazole Exposure May Affect SCC After Lung Transplant
TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For lung transplant (LTx) recipients, prolonged exposure to voriconazole may be associated with the development or recurrence of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to a study published online May 2 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
Most Physician Mothers Report Perceived Discrimination
TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of physician mothers report perceived discrimination, according to a research letter published online May 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Only 10 Percent of Daily Salt Intake Comes From Shaker
TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Most of the salt that Americans consume comes from processed foods and restaurant meals, according to a report published in the May 9 issue of Circulation.
Poor Environmental Quality Tied to Higher Cancer Rates
TUESDAY, May 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Overall environmental quality is strongly associated with increased cancer risk, according to a study published online May 8 in Cancer.
More Women Than Men Leaving Practice of Medicine
MONDAY, May 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — More women than men leave the practice of medicine, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Research Supports Pulmonary Benefits for ACEIs, ARBs
MONDAY, May 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) might play an important role in the prevention and treatment of emphysema, according to a study published in the May 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Even ‘Social Smoking’ Negatively Affects Cardiovascular Health
FRIDAY, May 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Social smokers have the same risk for hypertension and elevated cholesterol as regular smokers do, according to a study published online May 2 in the American Journal of Health Promotion.
Disability Reduced When Bystander CPR Is Performed
FRIDAY, May 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Quick action from bystanders can have a long-lasting impact for patients with cardiac arrest, according to a study published in the May 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
E-Health-Based Management of Oral Anticoagulation Tx Beneficial
FRIDAY, May 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Electronic-health-based management of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy is associated with fewer adverse events, according to a study published online April 29 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Poll: Many Americans Concerned About ACA Repeal
THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Only one in five Americans support a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new HealthDay/Harris Poll reveals.
CMS Releases Resources to Help With Payment System
THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently added three new online resources to assist physicians already participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and those exploring the opportunities available.
Lower Incidence of Chronic Illness for Centenarians
THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Among elderly veterans, the incidence of chronic illness is lower for centenarians than octogenarians and nonagenarians, according to a study published online April 19 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Ischemic Outcomes Don’t Vary With Gender in ACS Patients
THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and receiving clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor, ischemic outcome does not differ by gender, according to a study published online April 29 in Cardiovascular Therapeutics.
Half of U.S. Doctors Receive Payments From Industry
WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About half of U.S. doctors received payments from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries in 2015, amounting to $2.4 billion, and any form or amount of compensation can influence prescribing behavior, according to research published in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on conflict of interest.
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New Rx for Sleeping Pills Can Up Risk of Hip Fracture
WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Older patients are at greater risk for hip fractures for two weeks after they start taking prescription sleeping pills, according to a review published online April 27 in PLOS ONE.
CDC: Mortality Rate for Black Americans Drops 25 Percent
WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — While the overall mortality rate among black Americans dropped 25 percent between 1999 and 2015, the average life expectancy still lags behind whites by almost four years, according to research published in the May 2 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Many Survivors Jobless After Respiratory Distress Syndrome
WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Nearly half of previously employed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors are jobless one year after hospital discharge, according to a study published online April 27 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Optimal Cardiovascular Health in Middle Age Adds Years to Life
TUESDAY, May 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with optimal cardiovascular health in middle age live an average of four years longer than their peers who have at least two risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and almost five years longer free of chronic disease, according to a study published in the May 2 issue of Circulation.
Too Few Americans Know the Warning Signs of Stroke
TUESDAY, May 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — About 35 percent of Americans experience symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), yet only 3 percent get immediate medical attention, according to findings from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Thunderstorms Can Trigger Asthma Attacks
TUESDAY, May 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Thunderstorms can trigger asthma outbreaks, according to a study published online April 13 in the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology.
Screen Size, Shape Affect User Perception of Smartwatches
MONDAY, May 1, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Large screens are more effective for promoting the hedonic (perceived attractiveness) and pragmatic (perceived control) qualities of smartwatches, while round and square screens are associated with hedonic and pragmatic quality, respectively, according to a study published online April 21 in the Journal of Computer Mediated Communication.
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