The “New & Interesting” series is a biweekly compilation of select research findings, news articles, and random tidbits in bullet-point format. The entries are highly abbreviated, but provide links to the original articles or abstracts if you desire to read further.

General Articles

• The Lancet, a prominent British medical journal, formally retracted the original article that associated the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine with autism. The article, authored by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, had caused mass hysteria among parents who refused to have their children vaccinated, leading to a rise in the incidence of measles. Follow-up studies have however debunked the original hypothesis, and retrospective review by the medical journal reveals “that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield … are incorrect”. (Washington Post)

• Automated telephone outreach does not increase colorectal screening rates (Arch Intern Med)

Technical Articles

• PRORATA trial: Use of the biomarker procalcitonin to guide treatment of suspected bacterial infections reduced duration of antibiotic use in the intensive care unit (ICU). (Lancet)

• Decreased tissue levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH2) are associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Presumably, abnormalities in autonomic function interferes with the the infant’s ability to detect and/or respond to high CO₂ levels, leading to hypoxic death. (JAMA)