Curated News: JAMA

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Released: 20-Apr-2017 3:05 PM EDT
Research Examines Effects of Early Preventive Dental Care in Medicaid-Enrolled Children
Texas A&M University

Contrary to prevailing wisdom, preventive visits to a dentist for children under 2 years old may not reduce the need for more care later, at least among those children enrolled in Medicaid in Alabama, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

Released: 13-Apr-2017 6:05 PM EDT
Research Suggests Trans Fat Bans Lessen Health Risks
University of Chicago Medical Center

People living in areas that restrict trans fats in foods had fewer hospitalizations for heart attack and stroke compared to residents in areas without restrictions, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine and Yale School of Medicine.

Released: 13-Apr-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Quest for Balance in Radiation Leads to Lower Doses
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

New UC Project Finds Roadmap to Improve Patient Safety in Radiation Exposure

10-Apr-2017 1:05 PM EDT
From Opioid-Free to Long-Term User, in One Operation: Study Shows Key Role of Surgery
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Having surgery always comes with risks. But a new study suggests a new one to add to the usual list: the risk of becoming a long-term opioid user. About 6 percent of people who hadn’t been taking opioids before their operation, but were prescribed the drugs to ease their post-surgery pain, were still getting the drugs three to six months later, the study finds.

Released: 11-Apr-2017 2:35 PM EDT
JAMA Study Provides Further Support for Spinal Manipulation for Acute Low Back Pain
American Chiropractic Association

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), adds to a growing body of recent research supporting the use of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) as a first line treatment for acute low back pain, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Released: 5-Apr-2017 12:05 PM EDT
When the Doctor Recommends Against the Surgery a Breast Cancer Patient Wants
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

A new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center examines the complex interaction between patients’ desires for contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and surgeons’ responsibility to minimize harm.

Released: 3-Apr-2017 12:05 PM EDT
Risk of Data Breaches at Hospitals Is Greater at Larger Facilities and Those with Major Teaching Mission
Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School

The risk of data breaches at U.S. hospitals is associated with larger facilities and hospitals that have a major teaching mission, according to a study published online today by JAMA Internal Medicine.

27-Mar-2017 12:05 PM EDT
Electronic Health Records Improve Weekend Surgery Outcomes
Loyola Medicine

Electronic health record systems significantly improve outcomes for patients who undergo surgeries on weekends, according to a Loyola Medicine study published in JAMA Surgery.

23-Mar-2017 5:00 PM EDT
Gastric Acid Suppression Medications Increase Risk for Recurrence of Clostridium difficile Infection
Mayo Clinic

Researchers at Mayo Clinic have found patients who use gastric suppression medications are at a higher risk for recurrent Clostridium difficile (C-diff) infection. C-diff is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. The study is published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

21-Mar-2017 12:30 PM EDT
Preterm Births More Common in Mothers Who Are Cancer Survivors
University of North Carolina Health Care System

In a study published in the journal JAMA Oncology, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers report that women diagnosed and treated for cancer during their childbearing years more commonly gave birth prematurely, and to babies whose weights were below normal ranges. Cancer survivors also had a slightly higher rate of cesarean section deliveries.

21-Mar-2017 2:00 PM EDT
Shape of Inner Ear Helps Predict Hearing Loss for Children with Rare Hearing Loss Disorder
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

It may be possible to predict the severity of hearing loss for children diagnosed with enlarged vestibular aqueduct, according to a new study published in JAMA-Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

22-Mar-2017 2:00 PM EDT
JAMA Viewpoint Explores Impact of President Trumps New Immigration, Refugee Executive Orders on Individual and Public Health
O'Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law

The transformation of US immigration policy could have a harmful effect on the general public, patients and the health care system, say two public health law experts.

20-Mar-2017 12:05 PM EDT
Loss of Spouse or Partner to Suicide Linked to Physical, Mental Disorders
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

People who lose a partner to suicide are at increased risk for a number of mental and physical disorders, including cancer, depression, herniated discs and mood disorders than those in the general population, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.

17-Mar-2017 1:30 PM EDT
New Insights Into Side Effects Can Help Prostate Cancer Patients Choose Treatments
University of North Carolina Health Care System

A new study led by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers identifies distinct patterns of side effects for prostate cancer treatments that patients could use to guide their choices.

16-Mar-2017 4:00 PM EDT
Study Underscores Benefit of Smartphone Use to Track Children’s Health
University of Kansas

The research appears in JAMA Pediatrics on March 20. “The take-home message is that a smartphone can help a child be healthier across a number of health care behaviors, like making sure they get vaccines or eat a healthy diet,” said co-author Christopher Cushing.

17-Mar-2017 11:15 AM EDT
African Americans May Receive Different Advice on Statin Therapy
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Study investigates whether modern statin guidelines accurately identify African American patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

17-Mar-2017 11:10 AM EDT
Moderate Exercise May Be Beneficial for HCM Patients
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are urged to take it easy. But new research shows they might benefit from moderate aerobic exercise.

9-Mar-2017 11:05 AM EST
Two Common Tests Aren’t Effective in Predicting Premature Births, According to New National Study
University of Utah Health

Two screening tests often used to try to predict which pregnant women are likely to deliver prematurely aren’t effective in low-risk women, according to a national collaborative study of more than 10,000 women, led by clinician-researchers at University of Utah Health Sciences and Intermountain Healthcare. Researchers found that neither transvaginal cervical measurement or fetal fibronectin tests, used separately or together, adequately predicts preterm birth. The findings are published in March 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

9-Mar-2017 2:05 PM EST
Most Atrial Fibrillation Patients Don’t Get Preventive Drug Before Stroke
Duke Health

More than 80 percent of stroke patients with a history of atrial fibrillation either received not enough or no anticoagulation therapy prior to having a stroke, despite the drugs’ proven record of reducing stroke risk, according to a Duke Clinical Research Institute study.

Released: 13-Mar-2017 11:05 AM EDT
More Transparency at FDA Needed, Researchers Say
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

As the new administration considers the future direction of the Food and Drug Administration, a group of leading researchers has created a Blueprint for Transparency at the agency to advance the development of safe and effective new products.

8-Mar-2017 9:05 AM EST
Penn Trauma Surgeons Show “Profound” Racial Disparity in Philadelphia Gun Violence
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

In a Viewpoint published this week in JAMA Surgery, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, argue for more research on firearm injury, including the establishment of a national database on incidents of gun violence. The authors point to recent research showing that in Philadelphia, gun murders and injuries are much more strongly associated with race than neighborhood income levels.

2-Mar-2017 1:05 PM EST
Evaluation of Emergency Medicine Residents Points to Gender Bias
University of Chicago Medical Center

By the end of the third and final year of residency, evaluations of female physicians placed them three to four months behind male colleagues in the same training program. Male residents, on average, received higher evaluations on all 23 training categories. The gap emerged early in the second year of training and steadily widened until graduation.

Released: 27-Feb-2017 4:05 PM EST
Scalp Cooling Can Help Some Breast Cancer Patients Retain Hair
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

Scalp cooling can lessen some chemotherapy-induced hair loss – one of the most devastating hallmarks of cancer – in certain breast cancer patients, according to a new multicenter study from UC San Francisco, Weill Cornell Medicine and three other medical centers.   A majority of the study’s patients, all women with stage 1 or 2 breast cancer who underwent scalp cooling, retained more than half of their hair after completing chemotherapy, the investigators learned.

Released: 27-Feb-2017 11:05 AM EST
Research Explores Lasting Effects of Early Preventive Dental Care in Medicaid-Enrolled Children
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A UAB study shows children receiving early preventive dental care from a dentist had more frequent tooth decay-related treatment, a higher rate of visits and higher annual dental expenditures.

24-Feb-2017 5:00 PM EST
Affordable Care Act Boosted Primary Care Access for Medicaid Patients
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, which provided access to health insurance to millions of previously uninsured adults in the United States, the availability of appointments with primary care physicians has improved for patients with Medicaid and remains unchanged for patients with private coverage, according to new research led by the Perelman School of Medicine and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. The study, which compared new patient appointment availability in 10 states between 2012/13 (before the Affordable Care Act came into effect) and 2016, is published today in JAMA Internal Medicine.

16-Feb-2017 4:05 PM EST
Same-Sex Marriage Legalization Linked to Reduction in Suicide Attempts Among High School Students
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The implementation of state laws legalizing same-sex marriage was associated with a significant reduction in the rate of suicide attempts among high school students – and an even greater reduction among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.

14-Feb-2017 9:45 AM EST
Patient Complaints Can Identify Surgeons with Higher Rates of Bad Surgical Outcomes
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Recording and analyzing patient and family reports about rude and disrespectful behavior can identify surgeons with higher rates of surgical site infections and other avoidable adverse outcomes, according to a study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) investigators in collaboration with six other major academic health systems.

10-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
Use of Multiple Brain-Affecting Drugs Is Rising Among Seniors, Despite Risks, U-M Research Finds
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

The number of older Americans who take three or more medicines that affect their brains has more than doubled in just a decade, a new study finds. The sharpest rise occurred in seniors living in rural areas.

Released: 8-Feb-2017 10:30 AM EST
Every Diagnosis of Cancer Should Come with One of These, Says Cancer Expert
Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO)

“Every cancer diagnosis should come with a referral to genetic counseling,” says cancer expert Dr. Antonio Giordano, President of the Sbarro Health Research Organization at Temple University.

2-Feb-2017 2:00 PM EST
Routinely Prescribed Antibiotic May Not Be Best for Treating Severe C. diff Infections
University of Utah Health

Over the past two decades there has been a sharp rise in the number and severity of infections caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile often shortened to C. diff now the most common hospital acquired infection in the United States. But a new study suggests that the most routinely prescribed antibiotic is not the best treatment for severe cases. Scientists at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and University of Utah School of Medicine report that patients with a severe C. diff infection (CDI) were less likely to die when treated with the antibiotic vancomycin compared to the standard treatment of metronidazole.

Released: 2-Feb-2017 12:05 PM EST
The Best Treatment for Laryngeal Cancer? This Approach Helps Decide
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

After a decade of using a novel approach to select patients for laryngeal cancer treatment, researchers are reporting "exceptional" survival rates nearing 80 percent, even for the most advanced patients.

31-Jan-2017 12:05 PM EST
Under and Misuse of Hormone Therapy Decreasing, but Still High
University of Chicago Medical Center

A nationwide cancer registry of almost one million patients treated for hormone-sensitive breast cancer shows that one out of six women who should have received post-surgical treatment known as adjuvant endocrine therapy did not get this recommended component of care, which can reduce the odds of recurrence.

26-Jan-2017 2:05 PM EST
Soccer Ball Heading May Commonly Cause Concussion Symptoms
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Frequent soccer ball heading is a common and under recognized cause of concussion symptoms, according to a study of amateur players led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers. The findings run counter to earlier soccer studies suggesting concussion injuries mainly result from inadvertent head impacts, such as collisions with other players or a goalpost. The study was published online today in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Released: 30-Jan-2017 12:05 PM EST
Mayo Clinic Researchers Find Mental Activities May Protect Against Mild Cognitive Impairment
Mayo Clinic

PHOENIX – Mayo Clinic researchers have found that engaging in mentally stimulating activities, even late in life, may protect against new-onset mild cognitive impairment, which is the intermediate stage between normal cognitive aging and dementia. The study found that cognitively normal people 70 or older who engaged in computer use, craft activities, social activities and playing games had a decreased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. The results are published in the Jan. 30 edition of JAMA Neurology.

Released: 26-Jan-2017 11:05 AM EST
Findings Suggest Overuse of Chemotherapy Among Younger Patients with Colon Cancer
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

Young and middle-aged patients with colon cancer are nearly two to eight times more likely to receive postoperative chemotherapy than older patients, yet there seems to be no added survival benefits for these patients, according to a study published today in JAMA Surgery by researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).

24-Jan-2017 10:00 AM EST
To Provide Better Eye Care, Ask More Questions in Advance
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Quick digital surveys before eye health appointments could help clinicians target care and improve record keeping, a Michigan Medicine study finds.

24-Jan-2017 12:40 PM EST
Study Tightens Connection Between Intestinal Microorganisms, Diet, and Colorectal Cancer
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute led a study that provides some of the strongest evidence to date that microorganisms living in the large intestine can serve as a link between diet and certain types of colorectal cancer.

19-Jan-2017 9:00 AM EST
Consumer-Use Baby Monitors Have Little Proven Benefit for Healthy Infants
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

It sounds simple and harmless—an electronic sensor attached to a baby’s sock that monitors vital signs and alerts parents on their smart phones if, for instance, an infant’s oxygen saturation level drops. But pediatric experts argue that such devices may cause undue alarm to parents, with no evidence of medical benefits, especially to healthy babies.

Released: 18-Jan-2017 2:05 PM EST
Small Intestine GIST Associated with Better Prognosis in Younger Patients
UC San Diego Health

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are tumors that arise is the wall of the digestive tract, and most often occur in the stomach or small intestine. Though more common in later in life, GISTs can occur in adolescents and young adults (AYA) under 40 years old as well. Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine report findings from the first population-based analysis of AYA patients with GIST.

16-Jan-2017 11:05 AM EST
Delirium Could Accelerate Dementia-Related Mental Decline
University College London

When hospitalised, people can become acutely confused and disorientated. This condition, known as delirium, affects a quarter of older patients and new research by UCL and the University of Cambridge shows it may have long-lasting consequences, including accelerating the dementia process.

12-Jan-2017 4:05 PM EST
Patients Face ‘Surprise’ Medical Bills From Out-of-Network Specialists
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The average anesthesiologist, emergency physician, pathologist and radiologist charge more than four times what Medicare pays for similar services, often leaving privately-insured consumers stuck with surprise medical bills that are much higher than they anticipated, new research in JAMA suggests.

5-Jan-2017 5:05 PM EST
What Do Health Plan Deductibles Really Mean for People with Chronic Illness? New Study Takes a Look
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

For tens of millions of Americans, the start of a new year means the counter has gone back to zero on their health insurance deductible. If they need health care, they’ll pay for some of it out of their own pockets before their insurance takes over. As insurance plans with deductibles grow in popularity, a new study takes a national look at what those plans mean for people with common chronic health conditions.

Released: 9-Jan-2017 10:00 AM EST
Catheter Safeguards at Hospitals Reduce Infections and Save Money, Study Shows
Cedars-Sinai

U.S. hospitals are reducing bloodstream infections related to catheters by implementing rigorous safeguards that also save millions of healthcare dollars each year, according to research led by Cedars-Sinai.

Released: 4-Jan-2017 12:05 PM EST
Medication Adherence a Problem in Atrial Fibrillation Patients
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Anticoagulant therapy is important for stroke prevention in people with atrial fibrillation, but a new study shows many people don’t stick with it.

20-Dec-2016 4:20 PM EST
UCLA-Led Study Provides Roadmap to More Personalized Cancer Treatment
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Researchers have found that people with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and the KRAS-variant inherited genetic mutation have significantly improved survival when given a short course of the drug cetuximab in combination with standard chemotherapy and radiation.

Released: 21-Dec-2016 12:05 PM EST
Rare Look at Youth Post Detention Is Bleak
Northwestern University

A new Northwestern Medicine study offers a bleak assessment in a rare look at the outcomes of delinquent youth five and 12 years after juvenile detention. Central to poor outcomes for the youth post detention are stark and persistent racial, ethnic and gender disparities, according to the massive study that began in the mid-1990s.

   
Released: 21-Dec-2016 11:00 AM EST
Study Finds ‘Striking’ Use of Double Mastectomy
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Nearly half of early stage breast cancer patients considered having double mastectomy and one in six received it – including many who were at low risk of developing a second breast cancer, a new study finds.

Released: 20-Dec-2016 11:05 AM EST
Learning by Listening: Penn Physicians Say Online Reviews Can Improve Health Care
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Online platforms that allow users to read and write reviews of businesses and services afford health care providers an opportunity to learn by listening, Penn Medicine physicians say in a new Viewpoint published today in JAMA. The authors point to a growing body of literature supporting the value of unstructured reviews in supplementing ratings from formal sources such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Heathcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). They call on hospital leaders to pay attention to online reviews to show current and prospective patients that they are being heard.

19-Dec-2016 11:20 AM EST
Local Learning Health System Model Demonstrates High-Quality Patient Care While Reducing Costs
Nationwide Children's Hospital

A pilot study demonstrated that with the implementation of a “local” learning health system, clinical quality can be improved while reducing health care costs. A group of 131 children treated through our Cerebral Palsy Program during the 12-month study period experienced a 43 percent reduction in total inpatient days; a 27 percent reduction in inpatient admissions; a 30 percent reduction in emergency department visits; and a 29 percent reduction in urgent care visits. LFEP Program implementation resulted in reductions in health care costs of $1.36 million. Introducing electronic health record-supported care that integrated clinical care, quality improvement and distinct, clinician-driven research resulted in large reductions in health care utilization, greatly reduced healthcare charges and improved care coordination.

8-Dec-2016 9:00 AM EST
Study Shows New Treatment Strategy in Head and Neck Cancer Not Better Than Current Standard of Care
University Health Network (UHN)

Results of the largest Canadian clinical trial to date comparing standard treatment for locally advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer with an experimental treatment, did not show the new treatment is superior.



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