Home Rheumatology September 2015 Briefing – Rheumatology

September 2015 Briefing – Rheumatology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for September 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.

Negative Spiritual Belief Linked to Worse Health Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Any degree of negative spiritual belief is associated with worse health outcomes, regardless of positive spiritual beliefs, according to a study published in the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health.

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Booster Massage Dose May Be Helpful in Chronic Neck Pain

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain, a booster dose of additional massages may be effective for reducing pain and dysfunction, according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.

New Classification Criteria Developed for Gout

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New classification criteria have been developed with high specificity and sensitivity for gout, according to an article published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Biomarkers Help ID Complications in Pregnant Women With Lupus

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Blood tests may help identify women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are at high risk for complications during pregnancy, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Health Insurance Deductibles Rising Faster Than Wages

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Health insurance deductibles have risen more than six times faster than American workers’ average wages since 2010, a Kaiser Family Foundation report says.

IOM: Most U.S. Patients Will Experience Diagnostic Error

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new report commissioned by the U.S. government contends that most Americans will encounter at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with severe consequences for their physical and mental health.

Medical Schools Teaching Students About Costs of Care

TUESDAY, Sept. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many medical schools are integrating discussions of cost, value, and effectiveness into their curricula, according to Kaiser Health News.

Docs in Productivity Models Likely to Encounter Compensation Caps

MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians, especially those working in a productivity model, need to understand compensation caps, which are set at a specific percentile of national pay based on surveys, according to a report in Medical Economics.

Tai Chi Aids Physical Performance in Chronic Conditions

FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Tai chi has a favorable effect on physical performance in four chronic conditions, according to a review and meta-analysis published online Sept. 17 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Volunteer Doctors Need to Check Liability Coverage

FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians who volunteer their medical expertise should consider their legal risks, according to an article published online Sept. 3 in Medical Economics.

2012 Office Visits 57% Higher for Women than Men, Ages 1864

FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In 2012 there were an estimated 301 physician office visits per 100 persons, with higher rates for females and adults aged 65 years and older, according to a September data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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Mid-Morning May Be Best Time for Workday Break

FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Choosing preferred activities for a work break and taking a break earlier in the shift are linked to more resource recovery after a break, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Funding, Mentors Critical for Academic Rheumatology Careers

THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Funding and division/department support are ranked as critical factors in enabling rheumatologists to develop a career in academic research, according to a study published in the September issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

Metabolic Syndrome Common in Young Women With Lupus

THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Metabolic syndrome is common in young, premenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and chloroquine appears to protect against metabolic syndrome in these women, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Complex Chronic Diseases Appear to Drive Frequent Admissions

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients who are frequently admitted to U.S. academic medical centers are significantly more likely than other patients to have multiple complex chronic conditions, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

Women Less Likely to Be Full Professors Than Men

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In academic medicine, women are less likely to be full professors than men and have less startup funding than men, according to two studies published in the Sept. 15 issue of JAMA.

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Support Tool Could Aid Decision on Total Joint Arthroplasty

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A decision-support tool would help with decision making for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) for patients with osteoarthritis, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.

Exercise Counters Fatigue-Related Mood Decline in Arthritis

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physical activity counters the negative effect that fatigue can have on positive mood among adults with arthritis, according to a study published in the September issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

CDC Develops State-Level Chronic Disease Cost Calculator

TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A chronic disease cost calculator (CDCC) has been developed to estimate state-level costs, according to a study published online Sept. 3 in Preventing Chronic Disease.

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For Pharma Reps, Access to Physicians Continuing to Drop

FRIDAY, Sept. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physician access for pharmaceutical representatives is continuing to decline, with access restricted to some degree for more than half of physicians, according to an AccessMonitor survey published by ZS.

Physician Re-Entry Program Set to Redress Physician Shortage

THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An online educational program aims to help physicians get back to work and reduce the nation’s physician shortage, according to an article published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

4% Increase in Population of Actively Licensed Physicians

THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The total population of actively licensed physicians in the United States and the District of Columbia has increased by 4 percent since 2012, according to a report published in the Journal of Medical Regulation.

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Management, Treatment of Chronic Disease Up With ACA

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More Americans are getting health insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act, which may lead to many more people getting diagnosed and treated for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, a new study contends. The findings were published in the September issue of Health Affairs.

Accelerated MD Program Doesn’t Mar Academic Performance

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An accelerated baccalaureate (BA)/doctor of medicine (MD) program does not impair the academic performance of medical students, according to a study published online July 3 in Academic Medicine.

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ACP Supports Expanded Role of Telemedicine for Health Care

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Telemedicine can be beneficial, within the framework of an established physician-patient relationship, according to a position paper published online Sept. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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EHR Vendors Not Adhering to Usability Certification Standards

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among electronic health record (EHR) products, there is a lack of adherence to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) standards, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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High False Negative Rate With PFTs in Scleroderma Lung Disease

TUESDAY, Sept. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) is associated with high false negative rates for detection of scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), according to a study published online Aug. 28 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Suggested Response Provided for In-Flight Medical Emergencies

FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In a review article published online Sept. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine, guidance is offered for physicians providing emergency in-flight medical care.

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Aerobic Exercise May Cut Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis

FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Aerobic land-based exercise may be helpful in treating fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a meta-analysis published in the August issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

Total Knee Replacement Procedures Up From 2000 to 2010

THURSDAY, Sept. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — From 2000 to 2010, the rate of total knee replacement increased considerably, with a higher rate for women than men in 2000 and 2010, according to a September data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

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Study Compares Hospitalized Infection Risk for Biologics in RA

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with prior biologic exposure, the risk of hospitalized infection is increased with etanercept, infliximab, and rituximab versus abatacept, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Many Teens With Chronic Illnesses Use Alcohol, Marijuana

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many adolescents with chronic diseases such as asthma and juvenile arthritis have consumed alcohol or smoked marijuana in the last year, according to a study published online Aug. 31 in Pediatrics.

Cardiovascular Risk Up After Knee, Hip Replacement

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients who have total hip or knee replacement surgery face a greater risk for myocardial infarction (MI) during the first month following the procedure, according to research published online Aug. 31 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

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