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 Sun Herald reports on how cardiologists in Mississippi have been using the iPhone to diagnose patients more quickly through more rapid access to EKGs and other medical information (Sun Herald)
- The presence of an infection at the time of gluten introduction in childhood is not a major risk factor for celiac disease (Pediatrics)
Technical Articles
- Updated 2009 guidelines on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. This was published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). (Clin Infect Dis)
- A meta-analysis of randomized statin trials revealed a 9% increased risk of diabetes with statin use. The study authors nevertheless add that “the risk is low both in absolute terms and when compared with the reduction in coronary events. Clinical practice in patients with moderate or high cardiovascular risk or existing cardiovascular disease should not change.” (Lancet)
- Successful development of human liver chimeric mouse model for the study of HBV and HCV infections (J Clin Invest)
- Eradication of H pylori may help treat gastric low-grade, B-cell, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol)
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)
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
- Antibiotics can be purchased online without the need for a prescription. The danger of making this freely available is the indiscriminant use of antibiotics to treat infections inappropriately. Moreover, this leads to the progressive selection of organisms resistant to current drug therapies. (Ann Fam Med)
- AIDS vaccine reduces rate of new infections by 31%. Although modest, this is the first time a vaccine has shown any efficacy against the spread of HIV since the discovery of the virus 26 years ago. (LA Times)
- Do mobile phones cause brain tumors? A meta-analysis performed by a team led by Dr. Seung-Kwon Myung of South Korea’s National Cancer Center found a mild increase in risk of benign brain tumors in people who have used cell phone for over a decade. Larger studies are still needed to answer this question. (Reuters)
Technical Articles
- Risk of hyperkalemia is small with use of ACE inhibitors in nondiabetic patients with hypertensive CKD (chronic kidney disease) (Arch Intern Med)
- Glucocorticoid use associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter (Arch Intern Med)
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
- Comparison of health care systems from around the world. The BBC graphs the health care expenditures, life expectancy, infant mortality, and out-of-pocket spending in four different health care systems. The United States represents a private payer system. The United Kingdom has a universal, tax-funded system. France has a social insurance system, and Singapore has a dual system. (BBC)
Technical Articles
- Randomized trials have demonstrated that aspirin use reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. A recent study published by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated the relationship between aspirin and survival after a diagnosis of colorectal cancer. They found that regular aspirin use was associated with decreased mortality. (JAMA)
- Hospital-acquired MRSA from discharged patients is transmitted to nearly 20% of household contacts (Arch Intern Med)
- Training residents on patient simulators resulted in fewer catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU (Arch Intern Med)
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
- Students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently received $500,000 in funding support from the American Heart Association (AHA) for the development of a CPR training program using the Wii-mote of the Nintendo Wii game system. (UAB)
- Phineas Gage … his life after the accident (LA Times)
- Fake bus stop to catch wayward Alzheimer’s patients (Telegraph)
- FDA approves the vaccine for the 2009-2010 influenza season (FDA)
- Chinese researchers grow live mice from skin cells (Reuters)
- A common bacterial pathogen known as Klebsiella may be the cause of colic in infants (UT Houston)
Technical Articles
- Sensitivity of capsule endoscopy for detecting colonic lesions is low compared to that of traditional optical colonoscopy (NEJM)
- A meta-analysis of 6 studies, involving 6695 patients, showed that eradication of Helicobacter pylori may reduce the risk of gastric cancer (Ann Intern Med)
