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

• 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)

The “New and Interesting” series features short compilations of select research findings, news articles, and random tidbits in bullet-point format.

• Need for resuscitation at birth associated with lower IQ scores at 8 years of age (Lancet)

• Bariatric surgery outcomes are similar at “centers of excellence” and regular hospitals (Archives of Surgery)

• Cognitive performance of early birds and night owls (Science) – The study conducted at the University of Liège showed that early birds and night owls had similar reaction times 1.5 hours after waking. The night owls, however, outperformed the early birds after 10.5 hours without sleep.

• Long-term survival better with double- rather than single-lung transplants (Johns Hopkins)

• Interim guidance for clinicians on identifying and caring for patients with swine flu (H1N1) (CDC)

• FDA warns consumers to stop using Hydroxycut products (FDA)

• Images of the H1N1 influenza virus (CDC)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of infant death within the first year of life. Death occurs suddenly and without identifiable cause. Clinical investigation and autopsy may not reveal evidence of SIDS. SIDS is therefore a diagnosis of exclusion (after excluding other possibilities, such as trauma, child abuse, or poisoning). Other diagnostic methods may include radiology, microbiology, and histology. Although the cause of SIDS is still unknown, several risk factors have been identified. The recommendation to have infants sleep in a supine position has reduced the incidence of SIDS. Congenital and genetic risk factors have also been implicated in the syndrome.

Researchers in Cambridge, United Kingdom, recently published in the journal Pediatrics a model to estimate the risk of SIDS based on a retrospective study of 505011 singleton births. The model takes into account several demographic variables, including maternal age, marital status, parity, smoking status, birth weight, and sex of the child.

To estimate the risk of SIDS, the likelihood ratio for each variable is first determined through tables (available in the journal article). The likelihood ratios are then multiplied together: total LR = LR₁ x LR₂ x … x LR_n. The total LR is used to calculate the post-test odds (post-test odds = pre-test odds x total LR). The risk of SIDS is 1/(post-test odds).

• Source
• Smith GC, White IR. Predicting the risk for sudden infant death syndrome from obstetric characteristics: a retrospective cohort study of 505011 live births. Pediatrics 2006;117;60-6.

Technorati Tags:
sids
sudden infant death syndrome
infant
baby
child
medical
education
journal
news