Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for February 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.
RBC, Plasma Transfusions Drop From 2011 to 2014
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2011 to 2014, there were decreases in red blood cell (RBC) and plasma transfusions among hospitalized patients, according to a research letter published in the Feb. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Early Studies Often Show Exaggerated Treatment Effect
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Trials to evaluate drugs or devices used to treat chronic medical conditions that are published early in the chain of evidence often show an exaggerated treatment effect compared with subsequent trials, according to research published online Feb. 21 in the Mayo Clinical Proceedings.
COPD Hospitalizations, Deaths, Prevalence Higher in Rural Areas
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence, Medicare hospitalizations, and deaths are significantly higher in rural areas, according to research published in the Feb. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Women With Non-Obstructive CAD May Suffer From Myocardial Scars
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among women with suspected ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA), the prevalence of baseline late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) indicating presence of myocardial scars is 8 percent, according to a research letter published in the Feb. 20 issue of Circulation, a Go Red For Women issue focused on women’s heart health.
Recommendations for Optimizing Hidden Curriculum in Medicine
MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a position paper published online Feb. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians (ACP) presents recommendations for optimizing clinical learning environments by fostering a positive hidden curriculum in medicine.
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Artificial Intelligence May Help Prevent Physician Burnout
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Artificial intelligence (AI), in which computers can be trained to recognize patterns in large quantities of data, may be able to reduce physicians’ burdens, saving them time and energy, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
FDA Warns of Possible Heart Risks Linked to Clarithromycin
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The antibiotic clarithromycin (brand name: Biaxin) may increase the long-term risk of heart problems and death in patients with heart disease, according to U.S. health officials.
Peds Cardiac Surgery Outcomes Vary by Neighborhood Income
FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Children undergoing cardiac surgery from the lowest-income neighborhoods have worse outcomes, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in Pediatrics.
Haloperidol for Delirium in Critically Ill No Help for Survival
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For critically ill adults at high risk of delirium, prophylactic haloperidol does not improve survival at 28 days compared with placebo, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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CDC: No Change in Percentage of Uninsured in U.S. From ’16 to ’17
THURSDAY, Feb. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The percentage of uninsured U.S. persons of all ages did not change significantly from 2016 to the first nine months of 2017, according to a report published online Feb. 22 by the National Center for Health Statistics.
No Evidence Use of SEP-1 Bundle Ups Survival in Sepsis
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For adults with sepsis, use of the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Early Management Bundle (SEP-1) or its hemodynamic interventions is not associated with improved survival, according to a review published online Feb. 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Odds of ARDS Up After Cardiac Surgery During Flu Season
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Undergoing cardiac surgery during the influenza season is associated with increased likelihood of development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), according to a research letter published in the Feb. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Burnout Found Prevalent Among Doctors in Single Health System
TUESDAY, Feb. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Burnout is prevalent among physicians, affecting over one-third of physicians in a single health system, and is associated with health care delivery, according to a research letter published online Feb. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Influenza A(H3N2) Viruses Predominate 2017-2018 Season
FRIDAY, Feb. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most influenza viruses identified in the 2017 to 2018 season are influenza A, with A(H3N2) viruses predominating, according to research published in the Feb. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Abstract/Full Text – Budd
Abstract/Full Text – Flannery
Patient Involvement May Promote Hand Washing in the Hospital
THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There is limited understanding of patients’ and health care professionals’ perceptions about appropriate patient involvement in promoting hand hygiene compliance in the hospital setting, according to a review published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
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Safety of PERC Tool Validated for Very Low Risk PE Rule Out in ER
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For low risk patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE), randomization to eight-item PE rule-out criteria (PERC) seems safe, according to a study published in the Feb. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Four Best Practices Outlined to Prevent Health Care Cyberattacks
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Four best practices outlined that can help prevent health care cyberattacks, which increased from 2016 to 2017, according to a report published in Managed Healthcare Executive.
Risk Tool Predicts Pressure Injuries in Hospitalized Children
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Braden QD Scale reliably predicts both immobility-related and device-related pressure injuries in hospitalized pediatric patients, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Pediatrics.
Losartan May Improve Endothelial Function in Marfan Syndrome
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The therapeutic significance of losartan in Marfan syndrome (MFS) may lie in its ability to activate protective endothelial function, not in its angiotensin II (AngII) receptor type 1 (ATR1) inhibition, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in the American Journal of Pathology.
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Opioid Use Linked to Risk of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Opioid use is associated with elevated risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), especially for long-acting, high-potency, and high-dose opioids, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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EHRs Not Sufficient to Ensure Success in Value-Based Care
MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Electronic health records (EHRs) are not sufficient to ensure success in value-based care, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Injury Scene Characteristics Linked to Injury Mortality
FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The characteristics of an injury scene are associated with injury mortality, with increased odds of death linked to increased distance to the nearest trauma center, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Surgery.
Inhaled Nitric Oxide Doesn’t Cut Mortality for Neonates
FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For neonates born at 22 to 29 weeks’ gestation with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), off-label use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is not associated with reduced mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Pediatrics.
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Rooming-In May Up Outcomes in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), rooming-in with the mother or other family members is associated with improved outcomes, according to a review published online Feb. 5 in JAMA Pediatrics.
FDA Says U.S. Will Now Produce Critical MRI Component
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A long-feared shortage of a substance used in millions of medical imaging procedures each year in the United States appears to have been avoided, federal officials report.
Poll: Personal Beliefs Shouldn’t Allow Doctors to Refuse to Treat
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most people do not believe that professionals including health care providers should be allowed to refuse to provide services based on their conscience or beliefs, according to a recent HealthDay/The Harris Poll.
NICU Family Integrated Care Ups Infant, Parent Outcomes
THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For infants born at 33 weeks’ gestation or earlier, Family Integrated Care (FICare) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is associated with improved infant and parent outcomes, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.
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Marked Variation Seen in Care Quality for TIA, Minor Stroke
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Care quality for patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke varies substantially across elements of care and facilities, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in JAMA Neurology.
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Heart Failure Guideline Adherence May Be Best Quality Measure
TUESDAY, Feb. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Hospital adherence to heart failure guidelines might be the best quality measure, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in Circulation.
Distance From Advanced Cardiac Care Affects Odds of Survival
MONDAY, Feb. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) in Nova Scotia, Canada, access to cardiac catheterization independently predicts survival, but those farthest from the center offering cardiac catheterization are the least likely to be transferred, according to a study published recently in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
Humanities Exposure Positively Impacts Medical Students
MONDAY, Feb. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to the humanities correlates with less burnout and higher levels of positive personal qualities among medical students, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Factors Identified That Impact Physicians IT Adoption
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physicians have considerable concerns about the efficacy and evidence base of health information technology (IT), according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Depression Ups Mortality Risk Post Aortic Valve Replacement
FRIDAY, Feb. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The presence of depressive symptoms among older adults undergoing transcatheter (TAVR) or surgical (SAVR) aortic valve replacement increases the risk of mortality, according to research published online Jan. 17 in JAMA Cardiology.
Medicaid Expansion Cuts Out-of-Pocket Spending
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — States that expanded Medicaid cut the probability of non-elderly near-poor adults being uninsured and lowered average out-of-pocket spending, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in Health Affairs.
Ablation Better Than Medical Tx for A-Fib With Heart Failure
THURSDAY, Feb. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure, catheter ablation is associated with a significant reduction in a composite end point of death from any cause or hospitalization for worsening heart failure, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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