Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for December 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The lowest-priced generic drugs are more likely to experience shortages, according to a study published in the November issue of Value in Health.
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30-Day Postdischarge Mortality Up With HRRP Implementation
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Announcement and implementation of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) were associated with increased 30-day postdischarge mortality following hospitalization for heart failure and pneumonia, but not acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published in the Dec. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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ASH Develops Practice Guidelines for Venous Thromboembolism
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has developed new guidelines for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE); the clinical practice guidelines were recently published in Blood Advances.
Prophylaxis for Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Medical Patients
Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolism
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Treatment of Pediatric Venous Thromboembolism
Venous Thromboembolism in the Context of Pregnancy
Optimal Management of Anticoagulation Therapy
Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An institutional gender equity initiative (GEI) can reduce gender-based salary gaps among medical school faculty, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Most Nurses Unsatisfied With Hospitals’ End-of-Life Care
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The majority of nurses have an unfavorable opinion of their hospital’s end-of-life care, according to a study published online Dec. 2 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Drug Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis Up 2007 to 2017
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017 there was an increase in drug-use associated infective endocarditis (DUA-IE) hospitalizations and valve surgeries, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Higher Than Expected
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite numerous difficulties, early figures show that sign-ups for health coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act are higher than expected.
Restrictive, Obstructive Lung Disease Linked to Dementia Risk
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Both restrictive and obstructive lung disease are associated with an increased risk for incident dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Exclusion of Doctors From Public Health Insurance Up 2007 to 2017
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017, the number of physicians excluded from Medicare and state public insurance programs increased, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
Stethoscopes in ICU Show High Levels of Bacterial Contamination
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stethoscopes in the intensive care unit (ICU) have high levels of bacterial contamination, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
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Persistent Discrimination ID’d Among Physician Mothers
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician mothers experience discrimination in a range of ways, which can impact the medical profession, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in The BMJ.
Inhaling Hypertonic Saline May Aid Infants With Cystic Fibrosis
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In infants with cystic fibrosis (CF), preventive inhalation with hypertonic saline (HS) during the first months of life is safe and well tolerated and results in clinical improvements, according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Medication Errors Resulting in Death Most Common in Elderly
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medication errors in acute care that result in death occur most often in patients older than 75 years, with the most common error category being omitted medicine or ingredient, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.
Enrollment Under the Affordable Care Act Down From Last Year
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is down with just days left to sign up, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
2017 Saw Slowing in National Health Care Spending
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National health care spending slowed in 2017, according to a report published online Dec. 6 in Health Affairs.
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Considerable Morbidity, Mortality Due to Animal Encounters
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Morbidity, mortality, and health care costs due to animal encounters are considerable in the United States, according to a study published in the January issue of Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open.
Paid Childbearing Policies Lacking for Residents
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Policies for paid childbearing or family leave for residents are lacking at top-ranking medical schools and may be exacerbated by lack of direction from specialty boards, according to two research letters published in the Dec. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract/Full Text – Magudia (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text – Varda/Glover (subscription or payment may be required)
U.S. Medical Schools See Increase in Diversity
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After implementation of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) diversity accreditation standards, U.S. medical schools saw increasing percentages of female, black, and Hispanic matriculants, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Case Numbers of U.S. Children With Polio-Like Illness Hit Record High
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There has been a record number of cases of a rare paralyzing illness among children in the United States this year, according to health officials.
AP News Article
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Tap Water in Neti Pot Linked to Death From Brain-Eating Amoeba
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The use of tap water in a nasal-flushing Neti pot likely led to a Seattle woman’s death from a Balamuthia mandrillaris brain infection, doctors write in a case study.
CBS News Article
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Veterans Health Administration Hospitals Outperform Non-VHAs
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals outperform non-VHA hospitals for 14 of 15 outcome measures in 121 regions, according to a research letter published online Dec. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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HIT-Related Stress Linked to Burnout Among Physicians
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stress related to use of health information technology (HIT) is common and predictive of burnout among physicians, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
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Survival Similar With Donor Hearts From Hepatitis C+ Donors
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Transplant patients with hearts from donors with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and obese donors have similar survival rates as patients with other donor hearts, according to two studies published in the December issue and online Dec. 4 in Circulation: Heart Failure and the Journal of the American Heart Association, respectively.
Abstract/Full Text – Moayedi
Abstract/Full Text – Shudo
Editorial
EMS Times Longer for Patients From Poorest Neighborhoods
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients with cardiac arrest from the poorest neighborhoods have longer emergency medical service (EMS) times, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Network Open.
Smaller Heads Related to Opioid-Related Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Chronic opioid use during pregnancy that causes neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is associated with smaller neonatal head circumference (HC), according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Pediatrics.
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Few Physicians Work in Practices That Use Telemedicine
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Only 15.4 percent of physicians work in practices that use telemedicine for a wide spectrum of patient interactions, with larger practice size being an important correlate of telemedicine use, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
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HHS Issues Draft Strategy for Reducing Health IT Burden
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a draft strategy to reduce the health information technology (IT) burden, and the strategy is open for public comment through Jan. 28, 2019.
Workload of NICU Nurses Linked to Missed Nursing Care
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The workload of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses, and perceived workload in particular, is associated with missed nursing care for assigned infants, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Exercise Reverses Functional Decline in Hospitalized Elderly
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For very elderly patients undergoing acute-care hospitalization, an exercise intervention is associated with benefits in reversing functional decline associated with hospitalization, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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CDC: Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases Appear to Have Peaked for 2018
MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in the United States this year appears to have peaked and is expected to decline for the remainder of 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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