Curated News: JAMA

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Released: 22-Feb-2018 5:05 PM EST
Less Expensive, Post-Acute Care Options for Seniors Underutilized
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Long-term acute care (LTAC) facilities are designed to meet the needs of older adults with severe, complex illnesses who are recovering from hospitalization, but less expensive options sometimes overlooked may also be available, population health researchers at UT Southwestern found.

22-Feb-2018 11:00 AM EST
Study Shows Need for Early Support Among People with Uveal Melanoma
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers found that nearly all people diagnosed with uveal melanoma had a number of unmet psychological and health information needs, particularly during the first three months after their diagnoses. The study is the first prospective, longitudinal approach to examine supportive care needs among patients with this disease, and suggested more acute needs among people with uveal melanoma than people with other cancers.

Released: 15-Feb-2018 8:05 AM EST
University of Pennsylvania Researchers Conduct Comprehensive Evaluation of Patients with Concussion-Like Symptoms Following Reports of Audible Phenomena in Cuba
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

A comprehensive evaluation by clinical researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania identified a neurological syndrome that left U.S. government personnel serving in Havana, Cuba with persistent memory and thinking dysfunction, as well as vision and balance problems after hearing unusual noises in their homes or hotel rooms. The team published their findings today in JAMA.

8-Feb-2018 12:45 PM EST
Family History Increases Breast Cancer Risk Even in Older Women: Weighing Screening Options
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University

Family history of breast cancer continues to significantly increase chances of developing invasive breast tumors in aging women — those ages 65 and older, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The findings could impact mammography screening decisions later in life.

8-Feb-2018 10:05 AM EST
Which Commonly Prescribed Drug is More Effective for Infants with Epilepsy?
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Comparison of two of the most commonly prescribed drugs for infants with nonsyndromic epilepsy revealed that levetiracetam was more effective than phenobarbital, according a multicenter, observational study published in JAMA Pediatrics. After six months of single-drug treatment, 40 percent of infants who received levetiracetam met criteria for successful outcome – they did not require a second anti-epileptic drug to control their seizures and they became seizure-free within three months of starting treatment. Only 16 percent of infants treated with phenobarbital achieved the same outcome.

Released: 6-Feb-2018 12:05 PM EST
Children Affected by Prenatal Drinking More Numerous than Previously Estimated
UC San Diego Health

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found a significant number of children across four regions in the United States were determined to have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The new findings may represent more accurate prevalence estimates of FASD among the general population than prior research.

Released: 2-Feb-2018 9:10 AM EST
Uncovering the Long-Term Health Impact of Playing in the NFL
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

In 1987, National Football League players went on strike. As a response, NFL teams scrambled to fill their rosters with “replacement players,” individuals who had some experience with college or professional football, but who weren’t part of NFL rosters that year. The replacement players themselves became a footnote in sports history. It turns out these players may actually play a critical role in football today - by helping us understand how playing in the NFL affects long-term health. In our recent study, published in JAMA, we compared the life expectancies of professional NFL players who debuted between 1982 and 1992 to the life expectancies of replacement players from the 1987 strike.

Released: 1-Feb-2018 4:00 PM EST
Study: Chaplains Crucial for Advance Care Planning in Medical Practice
RUSH

In a study, 80 percent of participants completed an advance directive after meeting with a chaplain as part of a doctor’s appointment

25-Jan-2018 8:05 AM EST
Patients and Doctors Often Disagree in Evaluation of Surgical Scarring
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

When it comes to the physical scars surgery leaves behind, a new study shows patients and doctors often don’t assess their severity the same way. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found patients and physicians disagreed in their scar evaluations 28 percent of the time, with patients more likely to focus on the depth of the scar while physicians were more likely to emphasize coloration and texture.

30-Jan-2018 11:00 AM EST
MD Anderson Study Evaluates Need for Biopsies During Follow-Up Care in Women with Early Breast Cancer
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

In an analysis of more than 120,000 women diagnosed with and treated for early-stage breast cancer, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center determined the rate of additional breast biopsies needed for these patients during their follow-up care. The findings, reported in JAMA Surgery, are the first comprehensive nationwide population-based study regarding the need for breast biopsies performed during follow up after treatment for invasive breast cancer.

Released: 30-Jan-2018 3:05 PM EST
For Children with Respiratory Infections, Antibiotics with Narrower Targets Are Better
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

A study of 30,000 children with earaches, strep throat and other common infections found that narrow-spectrum antibiotics had fewer adverse effects than broad-spectrum antibiotics. A more selective approach is better, said researchers.

26-Jan-2018 4:30 PM EST
Body Clock Disruptions Occur Years Before Memory Loss in Alzheimer’s
Washington University in St. Louis

People with Alzheimer’s disease have disturbances in their internal body clocks that affect the sleep/wake cycle and may increase risk of developing the disorder. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that such circadian rhythm disruptions also occur much earlier in people whose memories are intact but whose brain scans show early, preclinical evidence of Alzheimer’s.

Released: 26-Jan-2018 10:35 AM EST
Research Suggests Colonoscopy Link to Appendicitis
University of North Dakota

Although the incidence of appendicitis in the United States has been in decline for many years, the condition still affects approximately seven percent of Americans annually.

24-Jan-2018 2:25 PM EST
Yale Cancer Researchers Propose New Ways to Select Patients for Clinical Trials
Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital

Yale Cancer Center investigators have demonstrated in a new study that more sophisticated models to assess patient risk for cancer can result in better clinical trials with more definitive results.

22-Jan-2018 10:05 AM EST
Short-Course Treatment for Combat-Related PTSD Offers Expedited Path to Recovery
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be debilitating and standard treatment can take months, often leaving those affected unable to work or care for their families. But, a new study demonstrated that many PTSD sufferers can benefit from an expedited course of treatment. In the first study of its kind, Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy was found to be as effective when administered over two weeks as when it is provided over eight weeks for treating PTSD in active-duty military personnel.

Released: 16-Jan-2018 3:05 PM EST
Bariatric Surgery Prolongs Lifespan in Obese
Northwestern University

Obese, middle-age men and women who had bariatric surgery have half the death rate of those who had traditional medical treatment over a 10-year period, reports a study that answers questions about the long-term risk of the surgery. 

Released: 16-Jan-2018 11:00 AM EST
Pediatric Physician-Scientists Struggle for Funding
Washington University in St. Louis

A new, multicenter study that included Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that most NIH grants awarded to researchers in pediatrics during the past five years have been limited to physicians in senior positions at a small number of institutions. The findings indicate an overall downward trend in funding for pediatric research, particularly among early-career physician-scientists.

Released: 15-Jan-2018 3:30 PM EST
New Blood Test for Diagnosing Heart Attacks: A ‘Big Deal,’ with Caveats
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

A longtime blood test that measures the likelihood of a cardiac event has become more sensitive and more precise. Why doctors and patients should be cautiously optimistic.

Released: 15-Jan-2018 12:30 PM EST
Youth Using Alternative Tobacco Products Are More Likely to Smoke 1 Year Later
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Nonsmoking adolescents who use e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco or tobacco water pipes are more likely to start smoking conventional cigarettes within a year, according to new research by UC San Francisco.

Released: 4-Jan-2018 7:05 PM EST
Cross-Disciplinary Program Improves Surgical Outcomes for Older Patients
Duke Health

Compared to younger adults, older people have higher rates of complications from surgery. But many problems can be avoided by intervening with assessments and risk-reduction strategies before, during and after procedures.

3-Jan-2018 11:05 AM EST
Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Face Barriers to Receiving Standard-of-Care Treatment
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Despite decades of clinical research establishing chemotherapy with thoracic radiation as the standard-of-care for the initial management of non-metastatic small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), a large percentage of U.S. patients do not receive these treatments and in turn have lower overall survival, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Released: 3-Jan-2018 12:05 PM EST
Facial Exercises Help Middle-Aged Women Appear More Youthful
Northwestern University

A 30-minute daily or alternate-day facial exercise program sustained over 20 weeks improved the facial appearance of middle-aged women, resulting in a younger appearance with fuller upper and lower cheeks, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

Released: 2-Jan-2018 12:05 PM EST
Blacks’ High Diabetes Risk Is Driven by Obesity, Not Mystery
Northwestern University

In a surprising finding, blacks and whites have the same risk of developing diabetes when all biological factors for the disease are considered over time, reports a large new Northwestern Medicine study.

28-Dec-2017 12:05 PM EST
Mount Sinai Researchers Find Differences in Very PreTerm Infant Morbidity and Mortality Rates among New York City Hospitals
Mount Sinai Health System

Blacks and Hispanic very preterm infants are more likely to be born at New York City hospitals with higher risk-adjusted neonatal morbidity-mortality rates, and these differences contribute to excess morbidity and mortality among black and Hispanic infants. These differences in hospital of birth explained 39.9% of the black-white disparity and 29.5% of the Hispanic-white disparity in outcomes.

Released: 28-Dec-2017 11:05 AM EST
Carfilzomib Can Lead to Cardiovascular Toxicity in Multiple Myeloma Patients
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib has taken on an increasing role in the treatment of multiple myeloma, but new research from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania shows the therapy comes with the risk of cardiovascular problems in a higher than expected percentage of patients.

Released: 28-Dec-2017 9:00 AM EST
Study Shows Increased Risk of Uterine Fibroids in African-American Women with a Common Form of Hair
Johns Hopkins Medicine

In a study of medical records gathered on hundreds of thousands of African-American women, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have evidence that women with a common form of hair loss have an increased chance of developing uterine leiomyomas, or fibroids.

Released: 20-Dec-2017 11:00 AM EST
Better Treatment, Not More Spending, Saves Heart Attack Patients, Study Finds
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

A long-term look at heart attack care and spending in America in the 21st Century shows more survival, more spending, and more variation between hospitals on both scores. And while spending on rapid angioplasty appears to be paying off, a lot of the dollars spent in the six months after a heart attack aren’t making a difference in the long-term death rate.

Released: 19-Dec-2017 12:05 PM EST
Electric Scalp Device Prolongs Survival in Deadly Brain Cancer
Northwestern University

A device attached to a patient’s scalp that delivers a continuous dose of low-intensity electric fields improves survival and slows the growth of a deadly brain tumor, according to a new clinical trial led by a Northwestern Medicine scientist and published Dec. 19 in the journal JAMA.

Released: 14-Dec-2017 11:00 AM EST
Liquid Biopsy Results Differed Substantially Between Two Providers
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Two Johns Hopkins prostate cancer researchers found significant disparities when they submitted identical patient samples to two different commercial liquid biopsy providers. Liquid biopsy is a new and noninvasive alternative to tumor tissue sequencing, and it is intended to specifically detect and sequence tumor DNA circulating in patients’ blood. The results are used to help guide doctors to tailor the best treatment for patients at each point of their disease.

7-Dec-2017 2:05 PM EST
High-Intensity Exercise Delays Parkinson’s Progression
Northwestern University

High-intensity exercise three times a week is safe for individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s disease and decreases worsening of motor symptoms, according to a new phase 2, multi-site trial led by Northwestern Medicine and University of Denver scientists.

8-Dec-2017 4:05 PM EST
Most Who Enrolled in Michigan’s Medicaid Expansion Already Either Work or Can’t Work, Study Shows
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Nearly half of the people who enrolled in Medicaid after it expanded in Michigan have jobs, a new study finds. Another 11 percent can’t work, likely due to serious physical or mental health conditions. And about 1 in 4 enrollees are out of work but also are much more likely to be in poor health. The new findings may inform discussions of potential work requirements for poor and near-poor Americans who qualify for expanded Medicaid.

Released: 7-Dec-2017 10:05 AM EST
Study of Electrocardiogram Readings in National Basketball Association (NBA) Players Highlights Value of Sport-Specific Normative Data and Guidelines
New York-Presbyterian Hospital

Study of Electrocardiogram Readings in National Basketball Association (NBA) Players Highlights Value of Sport-Specific Normative Data and Guidelines. The findings were published on Dec. 6 in JAMA Cardiology.

4-Dec-2017 8:05 AM EST
Surgery-Related Opioid Doses Could Drop Dramatically, Without Affecting Patients’ Pain Control, Study Suggests
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Some surgeons might be able to prescribe a third of opioid painkiller pills that they currently give patients, and not affect their level of post-surgery pain control, a new study suggests. That would mean far fewer opioids left over to feed the ongoing national crisis of misuse, addiction and overdose.

30-Nov-2017 4:05 PM EST
When the Doctor's Away
Harvard Medical School

Substitute, for-hire physicians commonly care for hospitalized patients when doctors are sick or away. Information about outcomes is largely lacking, but a new study brings some much-needed insight. Results show no differences in 30-day mortality rates among patients treated by temporary physicians.

Released: 4-Dec-2017 11:00 AM EST
Study Suggests That Where Guidelines Disagree, Physicians’ Experiences With Their Patients, Family and Friends Shape Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Results of a national survey of more than 800 physicians suggest that their experiences with patients, family members and friends with breast cancer are linked with their recommendations for routine mammograms.

27-Nov-2017 9:05 AM EST
More Doctors Are Becoming “Nursing Home Specialists”
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The number of doctors and advance practitioners in the United States who focus on nursing home care rose by more than a third between 2012 and 2015, according to a new study published today in JAMA from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Of all physicians and advance practitioners who do any work in nursing homes, 21 percent now specialize in nursing home care. The authors say the trend suggests the rise of a significant new specialty in medical practice, though how it will affect patient outcomes and continuity of care is yet to be seen.

22-Nov-2017 2:05 PM EST
Study: People in High-Deductible Plans Aren’t Acting Like Consumers, May Need More Help
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

More and more Americans have health insurance that requires them to open their wallets for the first few thousand dollars’ worth of care they receive every year, before the insurance coverage kicks in. But a new study suggests that despite the rise in these high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), most Americans who have them aren’t saving, shopping around for better prices, talking to their doctors about costs, or making other consumer-type moves.

Released: 22-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EST
Study Questions Exclusion of Cancer Survivors From Trials
UT Southwestern Medical Center

A quarter of newly diagnosed cancer patients 65 or older are survivors who had a prior cancer – often preventing them from participating in clinical trials, researchers from UT Southwestern’s Simmons Cancer Center have found.

Released: 22-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EST
More Not Necessarily Better with Heart Valve Operations
UT Southwestern Medical Center

New research by UT Southwestern cardiologists counters long-held beliefs that hospitals performing greater numbers of heart valve surgeries have better outcomes.

21-Nov-2017 10:45 AM EST
Increased Use of Ambulatory Surgery Centers for Cataract Surgery
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

A University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center study shows over the past decade the proportion of cataract surgeries performed at surgery centers has outpaced surgeries done in hospitals.

16-Nov-2017 8:05 AM EST
Molecules in Spit May Be Able to Diagnose and Predict Length of Concussions
Penn State Health

Diagnosing a concussion can sometimes be a guessing game, but clues taken from small molecules in saliva may be able to help diagnose and predict the duration of concussions in children, according to researchers at Penn State College of Medicine.

20-Nov-2017 9:00 AM EST
Blueprint to Reduce Wasteful Blood Transfusions
Johns Hopkins Medicine

By analyzing data from randomized clinical trials comparing blood transfusion approaches, Johns Hopkins experts, along with colleagues at Cleveland Clinic and NYU Langone Medical Center, endorse recommendations for blood transfusions that reduce blood use to improve patient safety and outcomes. Publishing this week in JAMA Internal Medicine, the report also provides a how-to guide for launching a patient blood management program.

Released: 15-Nov-2017 11:15 AM EST
Parent-Supplied Photos Allow Pediatric Dermatology Diagnoses without an Office Visit in Most Instances
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Using smartphone cameras, parents can reliably take high-quality photographs of their child’s skin condition to send to a dermatologist for diagnosis. This finding suggests that direct-to-patient dermatology can accurately provide pediatric dermatology care.

10-Nov-2017 5:05 PM EST
Aggressive Testing Provides No Benefit to Patients in ER with Chest Pain
Washington University in St. Louis

Patients who go to the emergency room (ER) with chest pain often receive unnecessary tests to evaluate whether they are having a heart attack, a practice that provides no clinical benefit and adds hundreds of dollars in health-care costs, according to a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

10-Nov-2017 11:30 AM EST
New Study Offers Added Hope for Patients Awaiting Corneal Transplants
Case Western Reserve University

New national research led by Jonathan Lass, MD of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center has found that corneal donor tissue can be safely stored for 11 days before transplantation surgery to correct eye problems in people with diseases of the cornea. This is four days longer than the current conventional maximum of seven days in the United States.

7-Nov-2017 2:05 PM EST
Cancer Drug Parity Laws Lower Costs for Many, but Not Everyone
University of North Carolina Health Care System

In an analysis of the impact of parity laws published in JAMA Oncology, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers and collaborators from Harvard Medical School report modest improvements in costs for many patients. However, patients who were already paying the most for their medications, saw their monthly costs go up.

7-Nov-2017 9:00 AM EST
Gene Breakthrough on Lithium Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
University of Adelaide

Genes linked to schizophrenia in psychiatric patients suffering from bipolar disorder are the reason why such patients don't respond to the "gold standard" treatment for bipolar – the drug lithium – according to international research led by the University of Adelaide.

Released: 7-Nov-2017 1:05 PM EST
New Study Points to Risks from Mislabeled Unregulated Cannabidiol Products
RTI International

Study findings highlight need for manufacturing and testing standards and federal government oversight.

     
3-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Penn Study Shows Nearly 70 Percent of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online Are Mislabeled
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Business experts estimate that the market for Cannabidiol (CBD) products will grow to more than $2 billion in consumer sales within the next three years. While interest in this area continues to grow, little has been done to ensure regulation and oversight of the sale of products containing CBD.



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