Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for November 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.
Bifidobacterium breve of Little Benefit to Very Preterm Infants
MONDAY, Nov. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Probiotics don’t appear to protect very preterm infants from serious complications, such as necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, or death, according to a new study published online Nov. 25 in The Lancet.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Predicts MACE in STEMI
MONDAY, Nov. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients without diabetes with ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (FLD) independently predicts impaired myocardial perfusion and adverse in-hospital outcomes, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Cost of Private Rooms Less Than That Associated With Infections
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 25, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients in private hospital rooms are less likely to develop infections, which saves hospitals money in the long run, according to a study published online recently in the Journal of Critical Care.
C. Difficile Infection Tied to Higher Risk of Post-Op Mortality
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 25, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients at VA hospitals who contracted Clostridium difficile following surgery were five times more likely to die and 12 times more likely to suffer postoperative morbidity, according to findings published online Nov. 25 in JAMA Surgery.
Music Can Help Doctors Develop Relationships With Patients
TUESDAY, Nov. 24 2015 (HealthDay News) — For one physician, writing songs has improved her self-awareness and strengthened her relationships with patients, according to an article published by the American Medical Association.
ACP: Physicians Should Prescribe Generic Meds If Possible
TUESDAY, Nov. 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians should prescribe generic medications whenever possible, keeping in mind that generics have comparable effectiveness to brand name medications and are associated with reduced costs and increased adherence, according to new guidelines published online Nov. 24 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Risk of Second Event High for Young Women After MI, Stroke
MONDAY, Nov. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Young women who survive a myocardial infarction (MI) or ischemic stroke continue to face an increased mortality risk — or another MI or stroke, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Terlipressin Therapy Can Induce Hyponatremia
FRIDAY, Nov. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Terlipressin therapy can induce hyponatremia, according to a case report published online Nov. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
E-Portfolio Developed to Assess Millennial Med Students
THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Electronic portfolios are being used to transform medical students’ assessments and track progress as students advance through medical training, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
AAFP: Expected 0.5 Percent Pay Increase Reduced to Zero
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A small but promised Medicare pay increase has effectively been reduced to zero for all physician specialties, according to the final 2016 Medicare physician fee schedule and a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Burnout Reduces Readiness to Change Teaching Approaches
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Occupational burnout appears to reduce clinical faculty members’ readiness to change teaching approaches, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Therapeutic Hypothermia May Help Cardiac Arrest Patients
TUESDAY, Nov. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients who receive therapeutic hypothermia may be nearly three times more likely to survive cardiac arrest, according to a study published online Nov. 16 in Circulation.
Breastfeeding Tied to Lower Risk of Retinopathy of Prematurity
MONDAY, Nov. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Breastfeeding a premature infant may help reduce the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), according to research published online Nov. 16 in Pediatrics.
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Increased Dwell Time Doesn’t Raise Infection Risk for PICCs
MONDAY, Nov. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Infants with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) do not have increased risk of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) with increased dwell time, according to a study published online Nov. 16 in Pediatrics.
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Swiss Report Highlights Danger of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
THURSDAY, Nov. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Although antibiotics have largely eradicated tuberculosis (TB) in the United States in recent decades, researchers say evidence is mounting that the bacteria is becoming increasingly resistant to these medications. Details of a recent Swiss case are reported in the Nov. 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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MRI Can Help ID Patients Who Will Recover From Coma
THURSDAY, Nov. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans may help identify coma patients who are most likely to regain consciousness, according to a study published online Nov. 11 in Neurology.
Emergency Sx Patients Often Readmitted to Different Hospital
THURSDAY, Nov. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Nearly 17 percent of patients are readmitted to a hospital after having emergency surgery, with one in five of these patients admitted to a hospital other than where the surgery was done, according to a study published online Nov. 11 in JAMA Surgery.
Loss of Consciousness at SAH Onset Indicates Early Brain Injury
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Loss of consciousness (LOC) at subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) onset is associated with worse prognosis, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Neurology.
ACP Issues Guidance on ‘Concierge’ Practices
TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Direct patient contracting practices (DPCPs), in which patients pay out of pocket for some or all services provided by the practice, are growing in popularity, according to a position paper published online Nov. 10 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Case Report Highlights Dangers of Natural Remedies
TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A case of accidental overdose of an Atropa belladonna preparation highlights the dangers of the use of herbal remedies, according to a case report published online Nov. 5 in BMJ Case Reports.
D-Dimer Levels Predict DVT in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), D-dimer levels can predict the likelihood of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Web-Based CBT Program Cuts Suicidal Ideation in Interns
MONDAY, Nov. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (wCBT) program is effective for preventing suicidal ideation among medical interns, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Updated Checklist for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy Studies
FRIDAY, Nov. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An updated list of 30 essential items should be included in every report of a diagnostic accuracy study, according to the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) 2015. These new guidelines have been published in several journals, including Radiology, Clinical Chemistry, and The BMJ.
Doctors Who Order More Tests Have Fewer Malpractice Claims
THURSDAY, Nov. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) –The more tests and treatments U.S. doctors order for patients, the less likely they are to be sued for malpractice, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in The BMJ.
Poll: Americans Want Health Care Costs Kept in Check
THURSDAY, Nov. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Most Americans now support aggressive regulation to keep health care costs in check — including price caps on drugs, medical devices, and payments to doctors and hospitals, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll has found.
Sleep-Disordered Breathing in REM Linked to Insulin Resistance
THURSDAY, Nov. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The correlation between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and glucose metabolism varies for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Progress Made in Early Trial of RSV Vaccine
THURSDAY, Nov. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Another research team is reporting progress toward developing a vaccine to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Their findings were published in the Nov. 4 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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ACP Joins Amicus Curiae Brief to Supreme Court
THURSDAY, Nov. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The American College of Physicians (ACP) has joined other organizations in an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court, urging the court to uphold considerations of race and ethnicity in the medical school admissions process.
Doctors Should Consider Financial Factors Before Career Change
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Financial and other factors should be considered before physicians change career direction, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
AMA: 6 Steps to Help Ensure Patients Get Preventive Care
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Panel management, or population health management, can help physicians provide necessary preventive and chronic care to all patients regardless of their visit frequency, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Endovascular Tx Beats tPA Alone for Stroke Patients
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Endovascular therapy with mechanical thrombectomy in ischemic stroke is superior to standard treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for preserving brain function, according to research published in the Nov. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Prescription Medication Use on the Rise in the United States
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More Americans than ever are taking prescription drugs, as well as using more of them, according to research published in the Nov. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
New Electronic Health Record Regulations Released
TUESDAY, Nov. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New electronic health record (EHR) regulations modify Stage 2 of the meaningful use program and finalize requirements for Stage 3, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Competition for Fellowships Broke Records in 2015
MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — According to the American Medical Association (AMA), 2015 was a record-breaking year for fellowship applications.
Prescribing Drugs ‘Off-Label’ Can Pose Serious Safety Risks
MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Off-label drug use puts patients at risk for serious side effects, especially when scientific evidence is lacking, according to a study published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Displaying Prices to Providers Seems to Reduce Order Costs
MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Displaying order prices to physicians seems to reduce order costs, according to a review published online Oct. 23 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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