Study Examines Use of Video-Assisted Surgery for Known, Suspected Lung Cancer in VA

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Eric L. Grogan, M.D., M.P.H., email Craig Boerner at craig.boerner@vumc.org. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: A video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove part of a lung in patients with known or suspected lung cancer. This study used Veterans Affairs data for about 11,000 veterans who had lung resections from 2002 to 2015 to examine adoption of the procedure. There were 7,095 open lung resections and 3,909 video-assisted thorascopic resections. The proportion of video-assisted thorascopic lung resections increased from 15.6 percent in 2002 to 50.6 percent in 2015 across the entire Veterans Health Administration system but varied by VA region. A limitation of the study is its reliance on data not originally collected for research purposes.

Authors: Eric L. Grogan, M.D., M.P.H., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2019.0035)

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Visual Abstract

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

Visual Abstract:

(doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0393)

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Follow-Up of Children for Asthma After Vitamin D Supplementation in Moms During Pregnancy

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Hans Bisgaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., email bisgaard@copsac.com. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This research letter reports on the follow-up of children for asthma whose mothers participated in a randomized clinical trial where they received high-dose vitamin D (2,400 IU/day) during the 24th week of pregnancy or placebo plus the recommended dose of 400 IU/day of vitamin D. Some evidence has suggested low vitamin D levels in utero may be associated with the risk of asthma in children. High-dose compared with standard-dose vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy wasn’t associated with a child’s risk of asthma by age 6. There were 545 of 581 children available for the analysis at age 6. The study had reduced statistical power because the target sample size wasn’t reached. Future studies should look at whether the effect of prenatal vitamin D supplementation is affected by environmental, dietary or genetic factors.

Authors: Hans Bisgaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2019.1432)

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Was Diet Quality in Midlife Associated With Later Risk for Dementia?

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Tasnime N. Akbaraly, Ph.D., email tasnime.akbaraly@inserm.fr. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: The quality of diet for adults in midlife (average age 50) wasn’t associated with later risk of dementia in a study that included adults followed for more than two decades. Other observational studies have suggested diet may be linked to cognitive health but those studies often had short follow-up periods that could not cover the long preclinical period before dementia diagnosis. In this study, about 8,200 adults were without dementia in 1991-1993 and 344 cases of dementia were recorded during nearly 25 years of follow-up. During that time, the adults completed diet questionnaires to assess the quality of their diets, with a higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and legumes, omega-3 fatty acids and most polyunsaturated fatty acids indicating a healthier diet. Researchers report that repeated assessments of diet quality during midlife didn’t show any significant association with subsequent risk for dementia. The study relied on self-reported food frequency questionnaires.

Authors: Tasnime N. Akbaraly, Ph.D., Université de Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2019.1432)

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Disparities in Access to Trauma Centers

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Elizabeth L. Tung, M.D., M.S., email Ashley Heher at Ashley.Heher@uchospitals.edu. The full study and invited commentary are linked to this news release.

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: An analysis of census tract data for neighborhoods in America’s three largest cities suggests black-majority neighborhoods are associated with disparities in access to trauma centers. The study paired census tract data for New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago with coordinates for trauma centers within a five-mile buffer. Black-majority neighborhoods were more likely than white-majority neighborhoods to be located in so-called trauma deserts in Chicago and Los Angeles, although racial/ethnic disparities were only significant in New York after accounting for poverty and its interaction with race. This suggests that New York’s extensive trauma network may limit racial/ethnic disparities by ensuring access to low-income neighborhoods. New York is more densely populated than Los Angeles and Chicago. Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods were less likely to be in  trauma deserts in New York and Los Angeles but slightly more likely in Chicago. A limitation of the study is that it only shows associations and causal inferences can’t be drawn. This study suggests trauma planning should address racial equity.

Authors: Elizabeth L. Tung, M.D., M.S., University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, and coauthors

 

(doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0138)

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Is Dry Eye Disease Associated With Migraine Headaches?

JAMA Ophthalmology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Richard M. Davis, M.D., email Tom Hughes at tom.hughes@unchealth.unc.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Dry eye disease is when tears can’t adequately lubricate the eyes and patients may feel a stinging, burning or scratchy sensation. This study looked at whether there is association between dry eye disease and migraine headaches.

Author: Richard M. Davis, M.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.0170)

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Is It Ever Too Late for Adults to Benefit from Physical Activity?

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Pedro F. Saint-Maurice, Ph.D., email the National Cancer Institute at ncipressofficers@mail.nih.gov. The full study is linked to this news release.

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: It may never be too late for adults to become physically active and enjoy some health benefits. This observational study looked at how patterns of leisure-time physical activity from adolescence (15 to 18) to later adulthood (40-61) were associated with risk of dying using data for 315,000 U.S. adults. The results suggest maintaining physical activity from adolescence into later adulthood was associated with lower risk of dying and so was increasing leisure-time physical activity in adulthood, including from age 41 to 60, for adults who had been less active. The study relied on self-reported hours per week of leisure-time physical activity, including historical questions about activity as a young person.

Authors: Pedro F. Saint-Maurice, Ph.D., National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, and coauthors

(doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0355)

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How Common is Persistent Opioid Use After Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery?

JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Sam P. Most, M.D., email Mandy Erickson at merickso@stanford.edu. The full study and podcast are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This study examined how common persistent opioid use was after plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures of the nose, eye, breast, abdomen and soft tissue. The study included about 467,000 patients, of whom about half filled prescriptions for postoperative pain relievers and nearly all those prescriptions filled were for opioids. Persistent opioid use (prescription filled 90 to 180 days after surgery) occurred in 30,865 (6.6 percent) patients and prolonged opioid use (opioid prescription filled 90-180 days after surgery and then again 181 to 365 days after surgery) occurred in 10,487 (2.3 percent) patients. Patients who filled prescriptions for opioids shortly before or after surgery were more likely to have persistent and prolonged use. A limitation of the study is that opioid prescription fills were used as a proxy for opioid consumption, which doesn’t account for patients who may fill but not use a postoperative opioid prescription or patients who may have obtained opioids by other means such as from friends, family or other nonmedical sources.

Author: Sam P. Most, M.D., Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, California, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamafacial.2018.2035)

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Is Infant Temperament Associated With Future Risk of Childhood Obesity?

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding authors Myles S. Faith, Ph.D., and Erica P. Gunderson, Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H., email Janet Byron at Janet.L.Byron@kp.org. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This observational study looked at whether the temperament of infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes was associated with future risk of childhood obesity at ages 2 to 5 years. Children whose mothers develop diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to become obese but how infant temperament might influence the development of obesity in this population isn’t clear. In healthy populations, the evidence for the influence of infant temperament on child weight status has been mixed. Participants in this study included 382 mother-infant pairs who filled out a survey to assess infant temperament at ages 2 to 6 months. Findings suggest elevated soothability (children who are easily soothed have elevated soothability) was associated with increased likelihood of early childhood obesity. Infant temperaments of elevated soothability and activity also were associated with the early introduction of fruit juice and sugar-sweetened beverages before the age of 6 months and shorter breastfeeding duration. Explanations for why elevated soothability might contribute to obesity risk still need to be identified.

Authors: Myles S. Faith, Ph.D., of University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, and Erica P. Gunderson, Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H., R.D., of Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, California, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5199)

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Do Weight-Loss Surgery Outcomes Differ Between Black and White Patients?

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jonathan F. Finks, M.D., email Shantell Kirkendoll at SMkirk@umich.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Researchers examined the association of race on outcomes of weight-loss surgery for black and white patients in Michigan by analyzing data from a statewide clinical registry.

Authors: Jonathan F. Finks, M.D., University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2019.0029)

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Estimates of Older Patients With Fractures Associated with Walking Leashed Dogs

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jaimo Ahn, M.D., Ph.D., email Frank Otto at francis.otto@uphs.upenn.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Dog walking is often suggested as something older adults can do to improve their health. But older adults are at increased risk of fractures. This observational study estimated the number of patients (65 or older) nationwide with fractures associated with walking leashed dogs. Researchers used an injury surveillance database for patients at about 100 U.S. emergency departments to make their annual nationwide estimates. The number of patients 65 years or older with fractures associated with walking leashed dogs increased from 1,671 in 2004 to 4,396 in 2017. Most fractures occurred in women and most patients had hip fractures, although the upper extremity from the shoulder to fingers was the most frequently fractured area overall. These findings likely underestimate the injuries associated with older Americans walking leashed dogs.

Authors: Jaimo Ahn, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2019.0061)

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Visual Abstract

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

Visual Abstract:

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0168)

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Can Changes in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior in People With Type 2 Diabetes Last?

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Giuseppe Pugliese, M.D., Ph.D., email giuseppe.pugliese@uniroma1.it. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: The American Diabetes Association recommends people with type 2 diabetes regularly do physical activity that is moderate to vigorous in intensity and reduce their time being sedentary. This was a randomized clinical trial of 300 physically inactive and sedentary patients with type 2 diabetes at three outpatient diabetes clinics in Rome, Italy. Researchers examined whether a behavioral intervention that included counseling sessions with diabetes and exercise specialists was more effective than standard care with general physician recommendations in producing a sustained increase in physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior.

Authors: Giuseppe Pugliese, M.D., Ph.D., “La Sapienza” University, Rome, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2019.0922)

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Clinical Trial Examines Nutritional Strategies to Prevent Major Depressive Disorder Among Overweight, Obese Adults

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Marjolein Visser, Ph.D., email m.visser@vu.nl. The full study, related article and editorial area linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: A randomized clinical trial examined the effects of two nutritional strategies (multinutrient supplementation and food-related behavioral activation therapy) and their combination on preventing new episodes of major depressive disorder in overweight and obese adults over one year. About 1,000 overweight and obese adults with elevated depressive symptoms from four European countries were included.

Authors: Marjolein Visser, Ph.D., Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2019.0556)

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How Common Are Mental Health Disorders After Diagnosis of Head and Neck Cancer?

JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Neerav Goyal, M.D., M.P.H., email Joslyn Neiderer at jms1140@psu.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) might cure the disease but it also can result in adverse effects such as disfigurement and speech difficulties, which can affect quality of life for patients. Using information from a large insurance claims database, this study examined how common mental health disorders were in patients with HNC and how they were associated with diagnosis and treatment. The study included nearly 53,000 patients with HNC and researchers report the proportion of mental health disorders was 29.9 percent, an increase from 20.6 percent before the cancer diagnosis. Women and patients with a history of tobacco use and alcohol use were more likely to develop mental health disorders. The study may have underestimated how common mental health disorders were among the patients. Researchers suggest patients with HNC be monitored for mental health disorders.

Authors: Neerav Goyal, M.D., M.P.H., Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2018.4512)

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Family Opioid Use and Risk of Opioid Use Among Teens, Young Adults Following Surgical, Dental Procedures

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jennifer F. Waljee, M.D., email Beata Mostafavi at bmostafa@umich.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This study looked at whether long-term opioid use by one or more family members was associated with long-term opioid use by adolescents and young adults prescribed opioids for the first time after common surgical or dental procedures. This observational study used data from a commercial insurance database for about 346,000 patients (ages 13 to 21) who underwent procedures including tooth extraction, appendectomy, hernia repair, and arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery, and who were dependents on a family insurance plan. Among those patients, about 257,000 (74 percent) had their first opioid prescription filled. Of those patients with an initial opioid prescription filled, about 11,000 (4.3 percent) had a family member with long-term opioid use. Persistent opioid use (defined as one or more opioid prescription filled between 91 and 180 days after surgery among patients with an initial opioid prescription filled) occurred in 453 patients (4.1 percent) with a family member who was a long-term user of opioids compared with 5,940 patients (2.4 percent) without long-term opioid use by a family member. The findings suggest having a family member with long-term opioid use was associated with a higher likelihood of persistent opioid use by adolescents and young adults who are prescribed their first opioid. Physicians should screen young patients for long-term opioid use in their family. This study cannot explain the reasons for the association. And, the study included patients with private employer-based insurance so the findings may not be generalized to patients who are publicly insured or uninsured.

Authors: Jennifer F. Waljee, M.D., University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5838)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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What Was Effect of Offering Breakfast in the Classroom on Obesity?

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019

Media advisory: To contact author Katherine W. Bauer, Ph.D., email kwbauer@umich.edu. The full study and editorial are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Offering breakfast in the classroom at some Philadelphia public schools did not affect the proportion of students developing overweight and obesity, when examined as a combined measure, after 2 ½ years. However, offering breakfast in the classroom did increase the proportion of students with obesity, although precise reasons for the increase are unknown. This study reports on a randomized clinical trial among more than 1,300 students starting in the fourth through sixth grades at 16 public schools in Philadelphia. Half of the schools offered students a breakfast in the classroom initiative that included providing breakfast during the first period of the day with complimentary breakfast-specific nutrition education. The other half of schools continued offering students breakfast in the cafeteria before school, plus standard nutrition education. Researchers acknowledge the effect of the initiative could be unique to older elementary and middle school students, who may have more freedom to buy food outside school in the morning. More research is needed to understand whether offering breakfast in the classroom would have a similar effect on obesity among other populations of students, and whether alternative models of offering the School Breakfast Program could increase program participation without an unintended consequence of increasing children’s weight status.

Authors: Katherine W. Bauer, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5531)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Is Prenatal Vitamin Use by Moms Associated With Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder Recurrence in Young Siblings

JAMA Psychiatry

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Rebecca J. Schmidt, Ph.D., email Nadine A Yehya at nyehya@ucdavis.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This study examined whether prenatal vitamin use by mothers was associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) recurrence in high-risk families. The study included 241 children who were selected because a sibling was diagnosed with ASD. Mothers reported their use of prenatal vitamins during pregnancy. While most mothers reported taking prenatal vitamins while pregnant, only 87 (36 percent) mothers met the recommendations to take prenatal vitamins in the six months before pregnancy. Researchers report that children whose mothers had taken prenatal vitamins during the first month of pregnancy appeared less likely to be diagnosed with ASD when compared with children whose mothers hadn’t taken prenatal vitamins during that time. The proportion of children with ASD among mothers who took prenatal vitamins in the first month of pregnancy was 14.1 percent (18 children) compared with 32.7 percent (37 children) among those whose mothers didn’t take prenatal vitamins during that time. One limitation is that this study was observational, which means there may have been differences between the two groups that weren’t accounted for during the analysis, even though the investigators accounted for many factors. Another limitation is the study’s relatively small sample size. This study is important because there have been conflicting studies about whether maternal prenatal vitamin use is associated with a lower risk of ASD. More research is needed to confirm the associations observed in this study.

Authors: Rebecca J. Schmidt, Ph.D., of the University of California, Davis, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.3901)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Visual Abstract: Effect of Epicutaneous Immunotherapy vs Placebo on Reaction to Peanut Protein in Children With Peanut Allergy

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019

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(10.1001/jama.2019.1113)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Radiation Contamination at a Crematorium

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Kevin L. Nelson, Ph.D., email Lynn Closway at Closway.Lynn@mayo.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Radioactive compounds known as radiopharmaceuticals are used in nuclear medicine procedures to diagnose and treat disease. This research letter reports on radiation contamination at an Arizona crematorium where a man with a pancreatic tumor was cremated after treatment with an intravenous radioactive drug. A later examination of the crematorium found evidence of radiation contamination on equipment, including the oven, vacuum filter and bone crusher. A trace amount of a different type of radioactive compound not used in the man with the pancreatic tumor was also detected in the crematory operator’s urine, suggesting he may have been possibly exposed to that compound while cremating other human remains. Regulations for cremating patients treated with radiopharmaceuticals vary by state and internationally. More studies are needed to evaluate the extent of radiation contamination at crematoriums and the potential health effects of exposure for crematorium employees, especially with a cremation rate greater than 50 percent in the United States in 2017.

Authors: Nathan Y. Yu, M.D., Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.21673)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Digital Breast Tomosynthesis vs Digital Mammography Screening Outcomes

JAMA Oncology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Emily F. Conant, M.D., email Greg Richter at gregory.richter@uphs.upenn.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This study compared data on 180,340 breast cancer screenings for about 96,000 women ages 40 to 74 who underwent screening with 3D digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and 2D digital mammography to see if the outcomes varied by patient age and breast density. The findings suggest DBT was associated with a better ability to correctly identify women without breast cancer and better detection of breast cancers across all age and breast density groups. DBT was associated with the detection of invasive cancers that were more likely to be smaller and more often node-negative, especially among women ages 40 to 49. Some limitations of this observational study to consider are that women weren’t randomly assigned to the type of screening and there may have been differences between study participants not accounted for during the analysis.

Authors: Emily F. Conant, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.7078)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Visual Abstract: Association of Duration of Surgery With Postoperative Delirium Among Patients Receiving Hip Fracture Repair

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0111)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Geographic Distribution of Opioid-Related Deaths

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Mathew V. Kiang, Sc.D., email Beth Duff-Brown at bethduff@stanford.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0040

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Identifying changes in the geographic distribution of opioid-related deaths is important, and this study analyzed data for more than 351,000 U.S. residents who died of opioid-related causes from 1999 to 2016. Researchers report increased rates of opioid-related deaths in the eastern United States, especially from synthetic opioids. In 2016, there were 42,249 opioid-related deaths (28,498 men and 13,751 women) in the United States for an opioid-related mortality rate of 13 per 100,000 people. Eight states (Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire and Ohio) had opioid-related mortality rates that were at least doubling every three years, and two states (Florida and Pennsylvania) and the District of Columbia had opioid-related mortality rates that were at least doubling every two years. A limitation of the study is the potential for misclassification of deaths, which could result in an underreporting of opioid-related deaths. The study findings suggest policies focused on reducing opioid-related deaths may need to prioritize synthetic opioids.

Authors: Mathew V. Kiang, Sc.D., Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.0040)

Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Could Whole Grains, Dietary Fiber Be Associated With Lower Risk of Liver Cancer?

JAMA Oncology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Xuehong Zhang, M.D., Sc.D., email Elaine St. Peter at estpeter@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This study used data for participants followed-up for 24 years as part of two well-known study groups to examine the association between whole grain and dietary fiber intake with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, a predominant form of liver cancer.

Authors: Xuehong Zhang, M.D., Sc.D., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.7159)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Comparing Financial Burdens of Head and Neck Cancer with Other Cancers

JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Sean T. Massa, M.D., email Diane Duke Williams at williamsdia@wustl.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Head and neck cancer is expensive to treat and the disease can create long-term health needs. Using national survey data over nearly two decades, this study assessed the financial burdens of head and neck cancers compared with other cancers among nearly 17,000 patients with cancer, of whom 489 reported head and neck cancer.

Authors: Sean T. Massa, M.D., Washington University in St. Louis, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2018.3982)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Summary Video: Does IV Acetaminophen Reduce the Risk of Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery?

A summary video is available for the study, “Effect of Intravenous Acetaminophen vs Placebo Combined With Propofol or Dexmedetomidine on Postoperative Delirium Among Older Patients Following Cardiac Surgery,” by Balachundhar Subramaniam, M.D., M.P.H., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, and coauthors. The video can be viewed on this page and embedded on your website by copying and pasting the HTML code below. To download the video, email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org for information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video embed code:

Do Improvements in Sexual Functioning After Weight-Loss Surgery Last?

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Kristine Steffen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., email Carol Renner at carol.renner@ndsu.edu. The full study, commentary and podcast are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Short-term improvements in sexual functioning have been reported after weight-loss surgery but not much is known about whether these improvements last. This study included about 2,000 adults undergoing bariatric surgery who completed questionnaires about sexual functioning before and after surgery over five years of follow-up. Among those adults who reported some level of dissatisfaction with their sex life before surgery, researchers report about half of women and men experienced improvements in five years of follow-up. Fewer depressive symptoms before surgery and a decrease in depressive symptoms after surgery were associated with a better chance of improvement in sexual satisfaction for men and women, as well as in some other measures of sexual functioning. The study lacked a nonsurgical control group for comparison.

Authors: Kristine Steffen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., North Dakota State University, Fargo, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2018.1162)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Has Screen Time Increased for Young Children and on What Screen?

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2019

Media advisory: To contact authors Weiwei Chen, Ph.D., or Jessica L. Adler, Ph.D., email Madeline Baró at mbaro@fiu.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Children younger than 6 spend most of their screen time watching TV. That’s the finding of a new study that assessed screen time in young children in 1997 and in 2014, before and after mobile devices were widely available. The study used time diary data from a representative group of American children younger than 6 who completed the time diary (1,327 children in 1997 and 443 children in 2014). In 1997, daily screen time averaged 1.3 hours for children up to age 2 and almost 2.5 hours for children 3 to 5, with the highest amount of screen time per day spent watching TV. By 2014, total screen time among children up to age 2 increased to about 3 hours per day and most of that time was spent watching TV; children 3 to 5 didn’t have a significant change in total screen time in 2014 but most of it was spent watching TV. Authors suggest future research look at the association between screen time and parenting style and sibling and peer influence.

Authors: Weiwei Chen, Ph.D., and Jessica L. Adler, Ph.D., of Florida International University, Miami, Florida

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5546)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Primary Care Physician Supply and Life Expectancy

JAMA Internal Medicine

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2019

Media advisory: To contact study corresponding study author Sanjay Basu, M.D., Ph.D., email Erin Digitale at digitale@stanford.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This study used U.S. population data to identify changes in the supply of primary care physicians across counties from 2005 to 2015 and the association with life expectancy and other outcomes. A greater supply of primary care physicians was associated with better life expectancy but the per capita supply of primary care physicians across counties decreased, mostly because of disproportionate losses in some counties and population increases in general. More specifically, the total number of primary care physicians in the United States increased (196,014 in 2005 to 204,419 in 2015) but distribution across counties changed with the average supply of primary care physicians decreasing from about 46 to 41 per 100,000 population, with greater declines in rural areas. However, every 10 additional primary care physicians per 100,000 population was associated with a 51-day increase in life expectancy, after accounting for health care, demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral factors. The authors suggest the decrease in primary care physician supply across counties could have important health implications, although conclusions about individual-level effects shouldn’t be drawn from population-level associations.

Authors: Sanjay Basu, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, California, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.7624)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Is Guideline-Recommended Therapy for Coronary Artery Disease More Likely in Medicare Advantage?

JAMA Cardiology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jose F. Figueroa, M.D., M.P.H., email Elaine St. Peter at estpeter@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Medicare Advantage is Medicare’s managed-care alternative to traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Private insurance plans in Medicare Advantage have financial incentives to follow evidence-based guidelines but whether this results in better care for a long-term condition such as coronary artery disease isn’t clear. This observational study included about 36,000 patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage and 173,000 enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare who were diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Medicare Advantage beneficiaries were more likely to receive guideline-recommended therapy for coronary artery disease than those in traditional Medicare but there were no significant differences in blood pressure and cholesterol control. The study is limited by several factors, including an inability to know how long patients were on prescribed therapies, which can affect outcomes.

Authors: Jose F. Figueroa, M.D., M.P.H., Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2019.0007)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Study Suggests Lazy Eye Associated With Children’s Sense of Self-Perception

JAMA Ophthalmology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Eileen E. Birch. Ph.D., email ebirch@retinafoundation.org. The full study and an author interview are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: This observational study looked at whether the condition known as “lazy eye” (amblyopia) was associated with an altered sense of self-perception in children (ages 3 to 7) and whether any differences in self-perception were associated with deficiencies in vision and fine motor skills like coordination. Researchers report that among 60 children with lazy eye, the condition was associated with lower measures of self-perception for peer acceptance and physical competence compared with 20 healthy children. The findings cannot be generalized to children with different types of lazy eye and researchers couldn’t assess the association of glasses with children’s self-perception because most children with lazy eye wore glasses.

Author: Eileen E. Birch. Ph.D., Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2018.7075)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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How Common, Preventable Are Sepsis-Associated Deaths in Hospitals?

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Chanu Rhee, M.D., M.P.H.,., email Elaine St. Peter at estpeter@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study and an invited commentary is linked to this news release.

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: This study estimates how common sepsis-related deaths are in hospitals and how preventable those deaths might be. In a retrospective study using medical record reviews of 568 patients who died in six U.S. hospitals or who were discharged to hospice in 2014 or 2015, sepsis was present in more than half (300) of the hospitalizations and directly caused death in more than one-third (198) of cases. Most sepsis-associated deaths occurred in medically complex patients with severe coexisting conditions and most deaths were considered unlikely to have been prevented through better hospital care. These findings suggest that further innovations in the prevention and care of underlying conditions may be necessary before major reduction in sepsis deaths can be achieved. The study was conducted in only six hospitals and may not generalize to all hospitals.

Authors: Chanu Rhee, M.D., M.P.H., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Push-Up Exercise Capacity and Cardiovascular Disease Events in Male Firefighters

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Stefanos N. Kales, M.D., M.P.H., email Chris Sweeney at csweeney@hsph.harvard.edu. The full study is linked to this news release and a visual abstract is below.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

Bottom Line: A study of male Indiana firefighters suggests that push-up capacity may be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, including coronary artery disease, heart failure or sudden cardiac death. In this observational study of more than 1,100 firefighters, incidence of CVD was reduced for each increase in 10 push-ups. However the association between push-up capacity and reduced CVD remained only for the 21-to-30 push-up category after accounting for age and body mass index (BMI) and wasn’t evident after accounting for maximal oxygen consumption, a physiologic measure of fitness. The findings suggest that low push-up capacity is a risk factor for CVD, but not independent of age, BMI, and oxygen consumption. Researchers caution the results may not generalize to others, including women and people who are inactive, because the study group consisted of middle-aged men who were active on the job. Larger studies with more diverse groups of people are needed to understand if push-up capacity can be used as an objective clinical tool to help assess patients and if it can provide useful information beyond standard assessments of age and BMI.

Authors: Stefanos N. Kales, M.D., M.P.H., Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

Visual Abstract:

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

 

Is Using Marijuana in Adolescence Associated With Increased Risk of Depression, Anxiety or Suicidal Behavior Later in Life?

JAMA Psychiatry

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Gabriella Gobbi, M.D., Ph.D., email Julie Robert at julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2723657?guestAccessKey=ca2d5287-277b-497a-a025-3826723adac1&utm_source=JAMA Network&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=21319

 

Bottom Line: Marijuana is commonly used by teenagers but not much is known about how that use might impact mood and risk of suicide later in life. This study analyzed the combined the results of 11 studies with about 23,300 people and found marijuana use during adolescence before age 18 was associated with increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts or attempts during young adulthood between the ages of 18 and 32. There was no similar association with anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of efforts aimed at educating teenagers about the risks of using marijuana.

Authors: Gabriella Gobbi, M.D., Ph.D., McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.4500)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Randomized Clinical Trial for Suicide Prevention Intervention in Military Personnel

JAMA Psychiatry

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Amanda H. Kerbrat, M.S.W., email Leila Gray at leilag@uw.edu. The full study, editorials and podcast are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2723658?guestAccessKey=45f04731-0ab6-43ed-9da4-3f08f2885651&utm_source=JAMA Network&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=21319

Bottom Line: A randomized clinical trial of about 650 U.S. Army soldiers and Marines showed inconsistent results for a suicide prevention intervention that supplemented standard care with caring text messages to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Two accompanying editorials discuss the inexpensive intervention and potential reasons that could help to explain the uncertain results in a military population.

Authors: Amanda H. Kerbrat, M.S.W., University of Washington, Seattle, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/ jamapsychiatry.2018.4530 )

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Livers From Older Donors Decrease Despite Improved Outcomes for Recipients

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Dorry L. Segev, M.D., Ph.D., email Raigan Wheeler at rwheel13@jhmi.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: More than 10 percent of patients waiting for a liver transplant die each year. This observational study looked at trends in the transplantation of livers from older donors (70 and older) and outcomes in recipients of these older livers from 2003 to 2016. There was a decrease in the use of liver grafts from older donors despite improvements in liver graft loss and death among recipients of these older liver grafts. The study included 4,127 liver grafts from older donors and 3,350 liver-only recipients of these older liver grafts, and 78,990 liver grafts from younger donors (18 to 69) and 64,907 liver-only recipients of these younger liver grafts. A limitation of the study was the inability to determine whether the improvement in outcomes was associated with improved post-transplant care or improved older donor candidate selection. The findings suggest it may be reasonable to expand the donor pool with broader use of liver grafts from older donors.

Authors: Dorry L. Segev, M.D., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5568)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

How Common Are Mental Health Disorders, Treatment in Children?

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Daniel G. Whitney, Ph.D., email Kara Gavin at kegavin@med.umich.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2724377?guestAccessKey=f689aa19-31f1-481d-878a-6bf83844536a

Bottom Line: An estimated 7.7 million children in the United States (16.5 percent) have at least one mental health disorder and about half didn’t receive treatment from a mental health professional. National survey data were used to estimate how common mental health disorders were in children at the national and state levels, along with how common mental health care use was in children. An estimated 46.6 million children were included for analysis and prevalence estimates varied widely by state. For example, the prevalence of children with at least one mental health disorder ranged from 7.6 percent in Hawaii to 27.2 percent in Maine and the prevalence of children with a mental health disorder not treated or counseled by a mental health professional ranged from 29.5 percent in Washington, D.C., to 72.2 percent in North Carolina. Policy efforts to improve treatment across the states are needed.

Authors: Daniel G. Whitney, Ph.D., and Mark D. Peterson, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5399)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Increase in Conservative Management of Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 5 P.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Brandon A. Mahal, M.D., email Victoria Warren at victoria_warren@dfci.harvard.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.19941

 

Bottom Line: National guidelines in 2010 began advocating conservative management of low-risk prostate cancer with active surveillance or watchful waiting (AS/WW) as an alternative to radiation to the treat the prostate or surgery to remove the entire prostate. This study examined trends in the management of localized prostate cancer among 165,000 men from 2010 to 2015 using data from a national database of cancer statistics. Use of AS/WW for men with low-risk localized prostate cancer increased from 14.5 percent in 2010 to 42 percent in 2015, becoming the most common management approach. Use of AS/WW increased among men with intermediate-risk disease and remained stable among those with high-risk disease. Surgery to remove the entire prostate declined among men with low-risk disease but increased among patients with higher-risk disease. A limitation of the study is the lack of data on AS/WW compliance.

Authors: Brandon A. Mahal, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19941)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Teacher Ratings on Childhood Inattention, Prosocial Behavior Associated With Adult Earnings

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Sylvana M. Côté, Ph.D., email sylvana.cote.1@umontreal.ca. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: In a study of 920 boys from low-socioeconomic neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada, teacher ratings of inattention in kindergarten at ages 5 and 6 were associated with lower earnings as adults 30 years later, while increased ratings on prosocial behavior (such as helping, sharing and cooperating) were associated with higher earnings after accounting for child IQ and family adversity. Average personal earnings in adulthood were about $29,000 and an increase in inattention ratings as a child was associated with a decrease in earnings of about $1,300 and better ratings on prosocial behavior were associated with increased earnings of about $400. Teacher ratings on behaviors of hyperactivity, opposition and aggression weren’t associated with earnings in this observational study, which used earning data from government tax records. A limitation of the study is that it cannot explain causal reasons behind the observed associations.

Author: Sylvana M. Côté, Ph.D., of the Université de Montreal, Canada, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5375)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

4 Opioid-Related Articles: Prescribing Trends, Overdose Deaths, Disparities in Prescriptions

JAMA Internal Medicine

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Media advisory: The full studies and commentary are linked to this news release.

 

Bottom Line: JAMA Internal Medicine is publishing four opioid-related articles (an original investigation, invited commentary and two research letters) that report on racial/ethnic and income disparities in the prescription of opioids and other other controlled medications in California, racial differences in opioid overdose deaths in New York, and county-level opioid prescribing in the United States.

Want to embed links to these articles in your story? These full-text links will be live at the embargo time:

Original Investigation: Assessment of Racial/Ethnic and Income Disparities in the Prescription of Opioids and Other Controlled Medications in California https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2723625?guestAccessKey=7fe163de-0ce6-4464-bf27-3c0dfafbc437

Invited Commentary: Opioid Prescribing Trends and the Physician’s Role in Responding to the Public Health Crisis https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2723622?guestAccessKey=eaeac693-8773-4ecc-8353-6327c9902121

Research Letter: County-Level Opioid Prescribing in the United States, 2015 and 2017 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2723623?guestAccessKey=fbc1862d-97ca-4f52-9905-1edcf73387a2

Research Letter: Racial Differences in Opioid Overdose Deaths in New York City, 2017 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2723624?guestAccessKey=f9becdd5-b7cb-4264-a766-1cba0a5753c9

Editor’s Note: Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial and conflict of interest disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

USPSTF Recommendation Statement on Interventions to Prevent Depression During Pregnancy, After Childbirth

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Media advisory: To contact the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, email the Media Coordinator at Newsroom@USPSTF.net or call 202-572-2044. The full report and related articles are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this report in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time and all links to all USPSTF articles remain free indefinitely: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2019.0007

 

Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends clinicians provide counseling interventions to pregnant and postpartum women at increased risk of depression or refer patients to those services.

Background: The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. This latest statement is a new recommendation on interventions to prevent perinatal depression, which is the development of a depressive disorder during pregnancy or after childbirth. Depression is one of the most common complications during pregnancy and after childbirth, and it can have adverse effects on both women and children.

The USPSTF Concludes:

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2019.0007)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Note: More information about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, its process, and its recommendations can be found on the newsroom page of its website.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Case Study Documents Bone Cancer in 240-Million-Year-Old Stem-Turtle

JAMA Oncology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Yara Haridy, M.S., email yara.haridy@mfn-berlin.de. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2723578?guestAccessKey=36a3caee-1474-4c66-88e0-e38dc4e8304d

 

Bottom Line: This research letter documents bone cancer in a 240-million-year-old stem-turtle from the Triassic period, helping to provide more data about the history of cancer in tetrapod evolution. This is a case study about a highly malignant bone tumor on the femur of a shell-less stem-turtle. The appearance of the tumor in the fossilized specimen conforms with present-day periosteal osteosarcoma in humans.

Authors: Yara Haridy, M.S., of the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany, and coauthors

Featured Image: The image shows the bone cancer (osteosarcoma) on the femur of the fossil stem-turtle. The circled area shows the extent of the mass.

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.6766)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Is Chronic Rhinosinusitis Associated With Increased Risk of Depression, Anxiety?

JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Dong-Kyu Kim, M.D., Ph.D., email doctordk@naver.com. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common condition marked by sinus inflammation that can make breathing difficult and cause face pain or tenderness. The condition affects quality of life but whether it contributes to depression and anxiety in patients is unclear. This study of about 49,000 people in a South Korean insurance database examined the risk of depression and anxiety in chronic rhinosinusitis and depending on the type of chronic rhinosinusitis (with or without nasal polyps). Researchers report chronic rhinosinusitis was associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety during 11 years of follow-up and that having nasal polyps was associated with a higher risk of depression and anxiety than chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps. A limitation of the study is that it didn’t include information on smoking and alcohol use by participants and those factors could have influenced outcomes.

Authors: Dong-Kyu Kim, M.D., Ph.D., Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2018.4103)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Optimism Associated With Less Likelihood of New Pain Reported By Soldiers After Deployment

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Afton L. Hassett, Psy.D., email Kelly Malcom at kmalcom@med.umich.edu. The full study is linked to this news release and a visual abstract is below.

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Many veterans experience chronic pain after deployment. This study of almost 21,000 U.S. Army soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq examined the association between feelings of optimism (such as expecting the best and believing good things will happen) before deployment and new reports of pain after deployment, including new back pain, joint pain and frequent headaches. Higher levels of optimism before deployment were linked with a lower likelihood of reporting new pain after deployment, even after accounting for demographic, military and combat factors. The findings suggest soldiers with low levels of optimism before deployment may benefit from programs designed to enhance feelings of optimism. There are limitations to interpreting the study results because researchers didn’t account for psychiatric disorders and assessments of pain were limited.

Authors: Afton L. Hassett, Psy.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and coauthors

Visual Abstract: 

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8076)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Study Examines Association Between Birth Weight, Risk of Developing Psychiatric Disorders in Adulthood

JAMA Psychiatry

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Erik Pettersson, Ph.D., email erik.pettersson@ki.se. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2722846?guestAccessKey=6ca738e0-dc1a-4d8a-a853-7f93e29c27d5

 

Bottom Line: It is unclear if the associations between fetal growth as indicated by birth weight and later mental health conditions remain after taking into account family-related factors that could affect these conditions. This study included more than 500,000 pairs of siblings who were part of a register in Sweden since birth and were followed up to an average age of 27 years. After controlling for family-related factors that could influence the outcomes, lower birth weight (adjusted for gestational age) was associated with a small but significant increased risk for several psychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression. A potential limitation of the study is that the registers only included individuals with more severe forms of these conditions.

Authors: Erik Pettersson, Ph.D., Karolinska lnstitutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.4342)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Association Between EMS Response Time and Motor Vehicle Crash Mortality

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author James P. Byrne, Ph.D., M.D., email Laura Bristow at Laura.Bristow@sunnybrook.ca. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2723267?guestAccessKey=b77f7f26-9bd6-4815-8540-d9448184de88

 

Bottom Line: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury in the United States.  Emergency medical service (EMS) response time is a factor with the potential to influence survival.  This study examined EMS response times to motor vehicle crashes in nearly 2,300 U.S. counties from 2013 to 2015. Longer EMS response times in counties were associated with higher rates of motor vehicle crash mortality, after accounting for other important regional differences in EMS time intervals, access to trauma resources, traffic safety laws and how rural a county is. A significant proportion of fatalities (almost 10 percent in rural/wilderness areas and 14 percent in urban/suburban areas) were associated with prolonged county response times as defined by the median time (10 minutes or greater in rural/wilderness areas and 7 minutes or greater in urban/suburban areas).  The authors interpret their findings to suggest that regional differences in EMS response time capabilities should be evaluated in efforts to improve trauma systems to reduce motor vehicle crash deaths.  An important limitation of the study was the inability to capture regional differences in crash characteristics, which could have influenced the outcomes.

Authors: James P. Byrne, Ph.D., M.D., Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5097)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Is Type 1 Diabetes Associated With Poorer Performance in School by Children?

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Niels Skipper, Ph.D., email nskipper@econ.au.dk. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.21819

 

Bottom Line: This observational study compared standardized test scores in reading and math for more than 630,000 Danish public school children with and without type 1 diabetes. Researchers found no significant difference in reading and math scores between the groups of children who were attending second, third, fourth, sixth and eighth grades in Denmark. The findings may not apply to other countries.

Authors: Niels Skipper, Ph.D., Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.21819)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Did Use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives Increase After 2016 Election?

JAMA Internal Medicine

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Media advisory: To contact study author Lydia E. Pace, M.D., M.P.H., email Johanna Younghans at jyounghans@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Insertions of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods increased in the 30 business days after the 2016 presidential election based on an analysis of data for a large group of commercially insured women. Industry and media reports after the 2016 election of Donald Trump described an increase in the utilization of LARC methods; one proposed reason was that women were concerned about access to contraceptives if the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was repealed under the Trump administration. LARC methods (intrauterine devices and implants) can be effective for years at preventing pregnancy. This study of commercially insured women (more than 3.4 million in 2015 and more than 3.2 million in 2016) compared LARC utilization during the 30 days after the 2016 election with 30 days before the election and the same time period in 2015. In 2015, the average adjusted daily LARC insertion rate during the 30 business days before and including November 8 was 12.9 per 100,000 women compared with 13.7 per 100,000 women during the subsequent 30 days; the comparable averages before and after the 2016 election were 13.4 vs. 16.3 per 100,000 women. The authors acknowledge important limitations of their study including that they only studied women with commercial insurance.

Authors: Lydia E. Pace, M.D., M.P.H., of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.7111)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Study Examines Women, Men and Brain Marker of Alzheimer Disease

JAMA Neurology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Media Advisory: To contact corresponding author Reisa A. Sperling, M.D., email Terri Janos at tjanos@partners.org. The full study is linked to this news release.

To place an electronic embedded link in your story: This link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.4693

 

Bottom Line: Growing evidence suggests women may be at increased risk of certain physiological changes associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). This study examined nearly 300 clinically normal adults (average age 74) for deposits in the brain of the protein tau, a marker of AD, as measured by positron emission tomography. Women showed more tau in a region of the brain than men, which was associated with individuals with greater amounts of plaque deposits of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), another marker of AD. These findings support other studies in identifying potential reasons for differences in risk for AD between men and women. The study population may limit the generalizability of these results.

Authors: Reisa A. Sperling, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.4693)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Is Coronary Artery Calcification in Highly Active People Like Marathon Runners Associated With Increased Risk of Death?

JAMA Cardiology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Benjamin D. Levine, M.D., email Lori Soderbergh at Lori.Soderbergh@UTSouthwestern.edu. The full study, commentary and author interview are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2722746?guestAccessKey=3c09c9c9-2972-4158-a259-62acd9f7c23c

 

Bottom Line: Some studies have suggested that people with high levels of physical activity way beyond current physical activity guidelines, such as marathon runners, can have significant build-up of calcium in the arteries of their heart called coronary artery calcification (CAC). But data are limited about the risk of death in these highly active people with CAC. This study included nearly 22,000 men (average age almost 52) with varying levels of self-reported physical activity and who underwent CAC scanning. Elevated levels of CAC were more common among highly active men but after a decade of follow-up they didn’t have an increased risk of death compared with less-active men. Men with the highest levels of physical activity, regardless of CAC level, had a lower rate of death than those with the lowest activity levels. This study was observational and doesn’t allow for causal interpretations of the findings.

Authors: Benjamin D. Levine, M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.4628)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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USPSTF Recommendation Statement on Prevention of Gonococcal Eye Infections in Newborns

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

Media advisory: To contact the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, email the Media Coordinator at Newsroom@USPSTF.net or call 202-572-2044. The full report and related articles are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reaffirms its recommendation for the use of an antibiotic ointment to prevent gonococcal eye infections in all newborns, a gonorrhea infection that is transmitted from the mother to the newborn during delivery.

Background: The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. This latest statement is a reaffirmation of its 2011 recommendation on prevention of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum, a gonorrhea infection of the eye in newborns. This infection can spread to the cornea and cause blindness as early as 24 hours after birth. In the absence of prevention, transmission rates of gonococcal infection from mother to newborn are 30 percent to 50 percent.

The USPSTF Concludes:

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.21367)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Note: More information about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, its process, and its recommendations can be found on the newsroom page of its website.

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Quality, Experience of Outpatient Care in U.S. for Adults With or Without Primary Care

JAMA Internal Medicine

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

Media advisory: To contact study author David M. Levine, M.D., M.P.H., M.A,. email Johanna Younghans at jyounghans@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Adults who have primary care receive similar amounts of care as adults who don’t, but they receive more high-value care, similar low-value care, and report better access and patient experiences. In this analysis, researchers used data from an annual nationally representative survey to compare 49,286 adults with primary care to 21,133 adults without primary care. Health care systems in many countries are organized around primary care, whereas health care in the U.S. is organized around hospitals and specialty care. These findings suggest increasing investment in primary care may improve value in the U.S. health care system. A limitation of the study was primary care may be defined differently in different contexts.
Authors: David M. Levine, M.D., M.P.H., M.A., of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6716)

Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Association Between Economic Factors, Clinician Supply and Rate of Newborns Exposed to Opioids During Pregnancy

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., email Craig Boerner at craig.boerner@vumc.org. The full study and editorial are linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which are symptoms that primarily occur in newborns exposed to opioids during pregnancy, has increased over the last two decades  but there is limited information on its association with economic conditions or clinician supply. This study, which included 580 U.S. counties in eight states and 6.3 million births from 2009 to 2015, found higher rates of NAS at the county level to be associated with high rates of long-term unemployment and areas with a shortage of mental health clinicians. Neonatal abstinence syndrome rates were often highest in rural, remote counties. The design of the study does not allow for cause-and-effect interpretations of the findings.

Authors: Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Vanderbilt University, Nashville, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.20851)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Does Intensive Blood Pressure Control Reduce the Risk of Dementia?

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jeff D. Williamson, M.D., M.H.S., email Marguerite Beck at marbeck@wakehealth.edu. The full study and editorial are linked to this news release and the visual abstract is below.

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Bottom Line: Alzheimer disease and related dementias are projected to affect 115 million people worldwide by 2050. There are currently no proven treatments to reduce the risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). High blood pressure (hypertension) has been identified as a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia and MCI in observational studies. In this randomized clinical trial that included about 9,400 adults age 50 or older with hypertension, participants were treated to achieve a systolic blood pressure goal of either less than 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment) or less than 140 mm Hg (standard treatment). The researchers found that intensive blood pressure control did not result in a significant reduction in the risk of probable dementia compared to those who received standard treatment. The study may have been underpowered for this outcome because of early termination of the study and fewer than expected cases of dementia.

Authors: Jeff D. Williamson, M.D., M.H.S., Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and coauthors

Visual Abstract

 

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.21442)

Editor’s Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Is Increased Screen Time Associated With Delayed Child Development?

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Sheri Madigan, Ph.D., email Heath McCoy at hjmccoy@ucalgary.ca. The full study is linked to this news release.

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Bottom Line: Many children spend more time on screens than is recommended. This study looked at whether more screen time was associated with lower scores in a measure of developmental milestones in children and it also looked at the opposite association of whether children with delays in development received more screen time to control challenging behavior. The study included about 2,400 typically developing children in Canada and found higher levels of screen time at ages 2 and 3 were associated with poorer performance on the developmental screening measure at ages 3 and 5. The opposite association wasn’t observed. A limitation of this observational study is that screen time behaviors in children may have changed since final data were collected in 2016. The authors recommend managing children’s screen time.

Author: Sheri Madigan, Ph.D., University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5056)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Injuries Associated With Standing Electric Scooter Use

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Tarak K. Trivedi, M.D., M.S., Enrique Rivero at erivero@mednet.ucla.edu. The full study and commentary are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2722574?guestAccessKey=c8d43986-1131-4af7-b3bc-a9f9415cd3b3

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Nearly 250 patients ended up at two Southern California emergency departments with injuries associated with standing electric scooter use and few riders were wearing helmets. This observational study used medical record review to examine injuries associated with standing electric scooter use over a one-year period; 228 patients were injured as riders and 21 as nonriders. Nearly 11 percent of riders were younger than 18 and only about 4 percent of riders were documented as wearing helmets. Fractures, head injuries and soft-tissue injuries were the most common. Nearly all patients were discharged from the emergency department but 15 were admitted, including two with severe heard injuries. The authors suggest their findings may help to inform public policy around standing electric scooter use, a growing and cheap mode of transportation.

authors:  Tarak K. Trivedi, M.D., M.S., University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7381)

Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Harsh Punishment, Maltreatment in Childhood Associated With Adult Antisocial Behavior

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Tracie O. Afifi, Ph.D., email Chris Rutkowski at Chris.Rutkowski@umanitoba.ca. The full study is linked to this news release.

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About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Harsh physical punishment (pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping and hitting), maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect and exposure to intimate partner violence) and a combination of the two during childhood were all associated with antisocial behaviors in adulthood among men and women. This observational study used data on about 36,000 adults in the general U.S. population. Authors suggest prevention efforts to eliminate harsh physical punishment and maltreatment in childhood should be a public health priority in an effort to reduce antisocial behavior among adults.

Authors:  Tracie O. Afifi, Ph.D., University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7374)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

 

Examination of Outpatient Prescribing Patterns for Anxiety Drugs

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Sumit D. Agarwal, M.D., email Johanna Younghans at jyounghans@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study is linked to this news release and a visual abstract is below.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7399

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Benzodiazepines (tranquilizers) are a large class of drugs with lots of potential uses from treating anxiety to other conditions including insomnia, seizures and neuropathic pain. This study used nationally representative data to examine patterns in outpatient prescribing of benzodiazepines and included more than 386,000 ambulatory care visits from 2003 through 2015. The rate of ambulatory care visits where benzodiazepines were recorded nearly doubled over the time period from 3.8 percent to 7.4 percent. Primary care physicians accounted for about half of all visits with benzodiazepines. Authors suggest addressing prescribing patterns could help curb growing use of benzodiazepines amid increased benzodiazepine-related overdose deaths.

Authors: Sumit D. Agarwal, M.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and Bruce E. Landon, M.D., M.B.A., M.Sc., Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Visual Abstract: 

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7399)

Editor’s Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Birth Rates in Fukushima City Before, After Nuclear Disaster

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Noriaki Kurita, M.D., Ph.D., email kuritanoriaki@gmail.com. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7455

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: An earthquake and subsequent tsunami led to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Japan in 2011. This observational study examined associations between the earthquake and power plant disaster with birth rates in Fukushima City, the capital of the prefecture. There was an estimated 10 percent reduction in monthly birth rates in the first two years after the disaster but after that the trend in birth rates was similar to before the disaster, a finding the authors suggest may be indicative of rebuilding efforts. The study acknowledges the potential for underestimation of birth rates several years after the disaster.

Author: Noriaki Kurita, M.D., Ph.D., Fukushima Medical University Hospital, Fukushima City, Japan

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7455)

Editor’s Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Study Examines Racial Differences in Time to Breast Cancer Surgery in Military Health System

JAMA Surgery

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Kangmin Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., email Sarah Marshall at sarah.marshall@usuhs.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5113

 

Bottom Line: Less access to care and lower insurance coverage are among the reasons for racial disparities in breast cancer survival in the United States. Eligible beneficiaries in the U.S. Military Health System have insurance and access to care. This study examined whether racial differences existed in time to surgery and whether any differences in that time might explain racial disparities in overall survival between nearly 1,000 black and 3,900 white women diagnosed with breast cancer in the Military Health System. Researchers report black women had greater estimated time to surgery than white women but that those delays don’t appear to explain racial disparities in overall survival. The clinical significance of differences in time to surgery in this study is unclear and more research is needed to understand racial disparities in breast cancer treatment and survival.

Authors: Kangmin Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Rockville, Maryland, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5113)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Association of Childhood Lead Exposure with Adult Personality Traits, Mental Health

JAMA Psychiatry

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Aaron Reuben, M.E.M., email Karl Bates at karl.bates@duke.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time  http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.4192

 

Bottom Line: Millions of adults now entering middle age were exposed to high levels of lead as children, with childhood lead exposure linked to lower IQ, greater rates of child behavior problems, hyperactivity and antisocial behavior. This study included nearly 600 children in New Zealand who had their blood lead levels measured at age 11 and their mental health assessed periodically through age 38. Researchers found higher childhood blood lead levels were associated with more mental health problems throughout life and difficult adult personality traits such as being more neurotic, less agreeable and less conscientious. This was an observational study and it doesn’t allow for a cause-and-effect interpretation of the association between lead and the tested outcomes.

Authors: Aaron Reuben, M.E.M., Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/ jamapsychiatry.2018.4192)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Liver Transplant for Alcohol-Related Liver Disease in U.S.

JAMA Internal Medicine

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Media advisory: To contact study author Norah A. Terrault, M.D., email Scott Maier at scott.maier@ucsf.edu. The full study and invited commentary are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2720757?guestAccessKey=619ceb32-99d0-4da3-9d5f-2aebb18e56a3

 

Bottom Line: The proportion of liver transplants in the United States for alcohol-associated liver disease increased between 2002 and 2016, with much of the increase associated with a decrease in liver transplant for hepatitis C virus infection because of antiviral therapy. This observational study used data from the United Network for Organ Sharing for all liver transplants during the 15-year period and the national study group consisted of nearly 33,000 patients, including 9,438 patients with a diagnosis of alcohol-associated liver disease. Study findings suggest five-year survival after transplant was lower in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease. Authors suggest the increase in liver transplants for alcohol-associated liver disease may be related to changing attitudes about the length of sobriety needed for a transplant. The study relied on registry data so any conclusions are by association and not causal. Regional differences suggest dissimilar policies for liver transplant for alcohol-associated liver disease.

Authors: Norah A. Terrault, M.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6536)

Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Analyzing Aspirin Use in Patients Without Cardiovascular Disease

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Sean L. Zheng, B.M., B.Ch., M.A., M.R.C.P., email sean.zheng@nhs.net. The full study and editorial are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2721178?guestAccessKey=b6c6e6e2-80a8-449e-9278-a863ceaa9c67

 

Bottom Line: This study analyzed combined results from 13 randomized clinical trials with more than 164,000 participants to assess aspirin use with the prevention of cardiovascular events and bleeding in people without cardiovascular disease. Results suggest aspirin use was associated with lower risk (absolute risk reduction of 0.38 percent) for cardiovascular events (a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack and nonfatal stroke) and increased risk of major bleeding (absolute risk increase of 0.47 percent). The role of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events has remained controversial because of an increased risk for bleeding. This study (a meta-analysis that combines the results of multiple studies identified in a systematic review) is limited by the availability and quality of reported data.

Authors: Sean L. Zheng, B.M., B.Ch., M.A., M.R.C.P., Imperial College London, and Alistair J. Roddick, B.Sc., King’s College London, United Kingdom

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.20578)

Editor’s Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Study Examines Drug Treatments for Newborns Exposed to Opioids During Pregnancy

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Marsha Campbell-Yeo, Ph.D., email Terry Murray-Arnold at tmurraya@dal.ca. The full study and editorial are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2721241?guestAccessKey=34c29b3e-c3a2-4648-8f01-47c06c2b67ab

Bottom Line: Neonatal abstinence syndrome describes symptoms (including jitteriness, high-pitched crying, sweating and diarrhea) that primarily occur in newborns exposed to opioids during pregnancy. Finding an optimal drug therapy to treat newborns for neonatal abstinence syndrome may reduce the length of treatment and hospital stay. This study analyzed combined results from 18 randomized clinical trials that included morphine, the standard of care in most hospitals, and other medications to treat newborns for neonatal abstinence syndrome. Buprenorphine was associated with the shortest length of treatment but there were considerable limitations in the findings and a large trial is required for wide-scale adoption.

Author: Marsha Campbell-Yeo, Ph.D., Dalhousie University School of Nursing, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5044)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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Have New Appointment Wait Times Improved at VA Health Care System?

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Madeline Penn, B.S., B.A., email Michelle Spivak at Michelle.SpivakMelinger@va.gov. The full study, invited commentary and a summary podcast are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2720917?guestAccessKey=05b5223a-1756-4852-bd4f-f66f53d44e77

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: This study compared new appointment wait times in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system with wait times in the private sector. Wait time data were for primary care, dermatology, cardiology or orthopedics at VA medical centers in 15 major metropolitan areas and private sector comparison data came from a published survey.

Authors: Madeline Penn, B.S., of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C., and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7096)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Did Quality of Care, Outcomes Improve for Hospitalized Heart Attack Patients in States That Expanded Medicaid?

JAMA Cardiology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., M.P.H., email Diane Williams at williamsdia@wustl.edu. The full study is linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? This full-text link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2720425?guestAccessKey=b464ef40-d3a5-48c5-85d1-3f2e0c2f8060

Bottom Line: Lack of insurance is associated with worse care and outcomes among adults hospitalized for a heart attack. It is unclear whether states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014 had an associated improvement in quality of care and outcomes among low-income patients hospitalized with a heart attack. This observational study included 325,000 patients younger than 65 who had been hospitalized for a heart attack and found that state Medicaid expansion was associated with a significant reduction in rates of uninsurance among these patients. Quality of care and outcomes, such as risk of death and a prolonged hospital stay, didn’t improve among low-income adults in expansion states compared with nonexpansion states. The registry used in this study enrolls patients who may not necessarily be representative of all hospitals in the U.S.

Authors: Karen E. Joynt Maddox, M.D., M.P.H., Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and coauthors.

 

(doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2018.4577)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Is Marketing of Opioids to Physicians Associated With Overdose Deaths?

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Scott E. Hadland, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., email Jenny Eriksen at jenny.eriksen@bmc.org. The full study, invited commentary and a summary podcast are linked to this news release and a visual abstract is below.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: This full-text links will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2720914?guestAccessKey=630f38c9-ac45-406f-8764-b04eef425ce7

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: This study examined the association between pharmaceutical company marketing of opioids to physicians and subsequent death from prescription opioid overdoses across U.S. counties. The study, which analyzed industry marketing information data and national data on opioid prescribing and overdose deaths, reports almost $40 million in opioid marketing was targeted to more than 67,500 physicians across more than 2,200 counties from August 2013 to December 2015. Increases in opioid marketing to physicians were associated with higher prescribing rates and subsequently more death from prescription opioid overdoses a year later in this analysis. This observational study can show only associations, not causation. Findings suggest opioid marketing to physicians may counter national efforts to reduce the number of opioids prescribed and policymakers might consider limits on those activities.

Authors: Scott E. Hadland, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6007)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

 

Trends Over Time in Antibiotic Prescribing by Dermatologists

JAMA Dermatology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author John S. Barbieri, M.D., M.B.A., email John Infanti at John.Infanti@pennmedicine.upenn.edu. The full study, an editorial and a podcast are linked to this news release.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2720317?guestAccessKey=c0fe3bc7-c5b7-483f-9d05-1b97041a4aa3

 

Bottom Line: This study looked at trends over time in oral antibiotic prescribing by dermatologists using commercial insurance claims data for almost 986,000 courses of oral antibiotics prescribed by nearly 12,000 dermatologists. Overall, between 2008 and 2016, there was a decrease in antibiotic prescribing (from 3.36 to 2.13 courses per 100 visits with a dermatologist) and much of that decline came from a decrease in extended courses of antibiotics prescribed for acne and rosacea. However, prescribing of postoperative antibiotics after surgical visits increased (from 3.92 to 6.65 courses per 100 visits) and researchers suggest that practice be evaluated. The possibility of misclassification of diagnoses related to antibiotic prescriptions exists in this observational study.

Authors: John S. Barbieri, M.D., M.B.A., of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and coauthors

 

(doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4944)

Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Listen to the Podcast: Evaluation and Management of Penicillin Allergy

Listen to an interview with Erica S. Shenoy, M.D., Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, co-author of the JAMA study, “Evaluation and Management of Penicillin Allergy.” The podcast is available for listening and download on this page.

Summary Video and Visual Abstract: Effect of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on 8-Week Remission in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

A summary video and visual abstract are available on this page for the study, “Effect of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on 8-Week Remission in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis,” by Samuel P. Costello, M.B.B.S., Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, Australia, and coauthors. The video can be embedded on your website by copying and pasting the HTML code below. To download the video, email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org for information.

 

 

 

Video embed code:

Risk of Cardiometabolic Disorder in Patients with Tourette Syndrome, Chronic Tic Disorder

JAMA Neurology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

Media Advisory: To contact corresponding author Lorena Fernández de la Cruz, Ph.D., email lorena.fernandez.de.la.cruz@ki.se. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

To place an electronic embedded link in your story: Links will be live at the embargo time: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2719821?guestAccessKey=5b33b76d-7aac-4efd-8142-038da2293ace 

 

Bottom Line: An observational study of people living in Sweden suggests a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder was associated with higher risk of a cardiometabolic disorder. Among more than 14 million people living in Sweden between 1973 and 2013, about 7,800 had a registered diagnosis of Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder. The risk of a cardiometabolic disorder was higher than in the general population or among siblings without Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder. The study group doesn’t represent all Swedish patients with Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder because some with mild tics don’t seek care and others diagnosed by nonspecialists weren’t included.

Authors: Lorena Fernández de la Cruz, Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.4279)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

# # #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Are You Aware of 800-662-HELP?

JAMA Internal Medicine

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

Media advisory: To contact study author John W. Ayers, Ph.D., M.A., email ayers.john.w@gmail.com. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2720125?guestAccessKey=f419264c-db4b-41bb-87a3-ce20c7c487c3

Bottom Line: The national helpline 800-662-HELP is the only free, federally managed and endorsed U.S. addiction treatment referral service. This study examined public awareness of this important resource. Researchers looked at engagement and public awareness of the helpline on Google, Google News and Twitter in the week after singer Demi Lovato was hospitalized for an overdose in July 2018. They compared engagement and awareness with that of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK) in the week after celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s suicide in June 2018. The table below details engagement of the two helplines. The results suggest the substance abuse helpline 800-662-HELP appears to be underappreciated in the media (they should be encouraged to include it in stories on addiction) and by the public at large (social media and internet search companies could help promote it).

Authors: John W. Ayers, Ph.D., M.A., of the University of California, San Diego, and coauthors

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.6562)

Editor’s Note:Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Association of Smoking During Pregnancy with Retail Store Tobacco Sales Policies

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jaclyn Hall, Ph.D., email Douglas Bennett at dougbennett@ufl.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2721000?guestAccessKey=737e41bf-2442-4e6b-93a2-8e18dc2fb368

Bottom Line: Smoking during pregnancy is a leading preventable cause of adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight and poor lung function. This study looked at whether change in the number of stores selling tobacco products in six Southeast states (Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) was associated with change in rates of smoking during pregnancy. The number of tobacco retailers in the Southeast increased by about 8,300 in 2012-2013 when Family Dollar and Dollar General started selling tobacco products; then decreased in 2014 by about 2,500 when the CVS pharmacy chain discontinued tobacco sales. Researchers found rates of smoking during pregnancy decreased 15.6 percent across the six-state region between 2011-2012 and 2015-2016 but contrasting policy changes by tobacco retailers led to an overall increase in tobacco retailer density of one additional store per 10,000 adults. Rates went down less in areas where there were more stores. Increased retail availability of tobacco products may be inhibiting progress in reducing smoking.

Author: Jaclyn Hall, Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville, and coauthors

 

Related Material: Also available on this page for listening and downloading, an interview with study coauthor Jaclyn Hall, Ph.D.  

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.4598)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

 

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Small Preliminary Study Examines Blood Stem Cell Transplant to Delay MS Progression

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Richard K. Burt, M.D., email Marla Paul at marla-paul@northwestern.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.18743

 

Bottom Line: In a randomized clinical trial, researchers compared the effect of a stem cell transplant using a non-myeloablative regimen (a lower-dose, short course of more tolerable immune specific chemotherapy and antibodies to suppress the immune system) versus continuing disease-modifying therapy in 110 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The primary outcome was disease progression and other outcomes included neurologic disability, quality of life, time to relapse and no evidence of disease activity. The stem cell transplant was better than continued drug therapy for patients with frequent relapses and moderate disability. Further studies are needed to replicate the findings of this preliminary study.

Authors: Richard K. Burt, M.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and coauthors.

Visual Abstract

 

Related Material

The following related elements from the JAMA Network are also available on the For The Media website:

— The JAMA study, “Association of Initial Disease-Modifying Therapy With Later Conversion to Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis,” by Tomas Kalincik, Ph.D., Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, and coauthors.

— The JAMA editorial, “Stem Cell Transplantation to Treat Multiple Sclerosis,” by Harold Atkins, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., of the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.18743)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support and conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Perceived Barriers to Minority Medical Students Pursuing Dermatology

JAMA Dermatology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Yssra S. Soliman, B.A., email Elaine Iandoli at elaine.iandoli@einstein.yu.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time  http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4813

 

Bottom Line:  The specialty of dermatology is one of the least diverse medical fields. In this study, a survey was conducted among 155 medical students (58 percent of whom were nonwhite) to understand perceived barriers to pursuing a career in dermatology by minority medical students. Major barriers cited by minority students included the lack of diversity in dermatology; perceived negative perceptions of minority students by residency programs, such as expecting lower performance; socioeconomic factors, such as lack of loan forgiveness; and a lack of mentors. The findings highlight the need to actively recruit and mentor students of all backgrounds. The survey respondents may not be representative of all U.S. medical students.

Authors: Yssra S. Soliman, B.A., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4813)

Editor’s Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Medical Marketing Increased Over Past 2 Decades

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Steven Woloshin, M.D., M.S., email Paige Stein at Paige.Stein@dartmouth.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.19320

 

Bottom Line: The amount of money spent on medical marketing has increased substantially in the United States over the last two decades. An analysis estimates spending on medical marketing of drugs, disease awareness campaigns, health services and laboratory testing increased to $29.9 billion in 2016 from $17.7 billion in 1997. Most of the 2016 spending ($20.3 billion) was on marketing to professionals, while direct-to-consumer advertising grew to $9.6 billion. Regulatory oversight remains limited despite the increase in spending on marketing. This study may underestimate the amount of spending on medical marketing because some data are unavailable. The analysis was done with data and information from various sources, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Authors: Lisa M. Schwartz, M.D., M.S., and Steven Woloshin, M.D., M.S., Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire.

 

Related Material: The following are also available on the For The Media website.

The Editor’s Note,A Tribute to Lisa M. Schwartz, M.D., M.S.,” by Howard Bauchner, M.D., Editor in Chief, JAMA.

The editorial, “Medical Marketing, Trust, and the Patient-Physician Relationship,” by Selena E. Ortiz, Ph.D., M.P.H., Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and Meredith B. Rosenthal, Ph.D., Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston.

The editorial, “Medical Marketing in the United States – A Truly Special Communication,” by Howard Bauchner, M.D., Editor in Chief, JAMA, and Phil B. Fontanarosa, M.D., M.B.A., Executive Editor, JAMA.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19320)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Changes in Flavored Tobacco Product Use Among Youth Tobacco Users

JAMA Pediatrics

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2019

Media advisory: To contact study author Hongying Dai, Ph.D., email Lisa Spellman at lspellman@unmc.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.4595

 

Bottom Line: Self-reported use of flavored tobacco products by middle and high school students decreased from 2014 to 2016 but climbed back up in 2017 in an analysis of national survey data. Flavored noncigarette tobacco products are widely available in the U.S. This study examined changes in self-reported use of flavored tobacco products by youth who use tobacco. The analysis included more than 78,0000 students from a combined 2014 to 2017 national school-based annual survey. The use of any tobacco product dropped from 17.3 percent in 2014 to 13.6 percent in 2017. While the use of flavored tobacco products by those who use tobacco decreased from 69.4 percent in 2014 to 57.7 percent in 2016, it increased again to 63.6 percent between 2016-2017 and much of that appears due to flavor use in electronic cigarettes.

Authors: Hongying Dai, PhD, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska, Omaha.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.4595)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Holocaust Survivors Had Higher Rates of Chronic Conditions, Lower Rates of Death

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Gideon Koren, M.D., email gidiup_2000@yahoo.com. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6643

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Holocaust survivors had higher rates of chronic conditions but lower rates of death than a comparison group of individuals insured by the same healthcare services organization in Israel. Biological and psychosocial reasons that may help to explain the findings need more study but researchers suggest unique characteristics of resilience among Holocaust survivors and better health literacy may be among the possibilities. This observational study included more than 38,000 Holocaust survivors in Israel who were born between 1911 and 1945 in Europe and nearly 35,000 people in a control group born in Israel during those same years. Both groups were insured by Maccabi Healthcare Services in Israel. The study used data collected from 1998 through 2017 and looked at heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and death.

Authors: Gideon Koren, M.D., of Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6643)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Study Examines Association Between Prenatal Exposure to Antiepileptic Drugs and ADHD in Children

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Jakob Christensen, M.D., Ph.D., Dr.Med.Sci., email jakob@farm.au.dk. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6606

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: This study examined whether prenatal exposure to valproate and other antiepileptic drugs was associated with increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. More than 913,000 children in Denmark were included in the observational study, and exposure to antiepileptic drugs was defined as pregnancies where mothers redeemed one or more prescriptions for the medications. In total, 580 children were identified as having been exposed to valproate during pregnancy and, of them, 49 (8.4 percent) had ADHD; among more than 912,000 children not exposed to valproate about 29,000 (3.2 percent) had ADHD. The study used registry data and it is not known whether the women used the medication and how much was actually taken. The absolute 15-year risk of ADHD in children exposed to valproate in pregnancy was higher than those not exposed to the drug. There were no associations found between other antiepileptic drugs in the study and ADHD.

Authors: Jakob Christensen, M.D., Ph.D., Dr.Med.Sci., Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark, and coauthors

Related Material: The commentary, “Fetal Valproate Exposure and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,” by Kimford J. Meador, M.D., Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, is also available on the For The Media website.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6606)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Study Examines Development of Physical Aggression in Children as They Age

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Richard E. Tremblay, Ph.D., email richard.ernest.tremblay@umontreal.ca. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6364

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Children can exhibit physical aggression when they are very young but that behavior typically declines before and during elementary school. However, a small proportion of children have atypically high physical aggression problems into adolescence, which may put them at increased risk for violent crime, social maladjustment, and alcohol and drug abuse. This observational study of 2,223 boys and girls used information from mothers, teachers and the children to trace the development of physical aggression problems from infancy to adolescence. The analysis suggests the frequency of physical aggression increased from age 1½ to 3½ and then decreased until age 13. Trajectories for the development of physical aggression differed for boys and girls, and several risk factors were identified, including family characteristics when the child was an infant such as having parents with lower education and higher depression, lower socioeconomic status and a higher number of siblings. Interventions during pregnancy and early childhood may help to prevent high physical aggression in children in high-risk families.

Authors:  Richard E. Tremblay, Ph.D., University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6364)

Editor’s Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

 

Adults with Cerebral Palsy at Increased Risk of Depression, Anxiety

JAMA Neurology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Media Advisory: To contact corresponding author Kimberley J. Smith, Ph.D., email kimberley.j.smith@surrey.ac.uk. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

To place an electronic embedded link in your story: Links will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.4147

 

Bottom Line: While cerebral palsy is considered a pediatric condition because it develops and is diagnosed in early childhood, it is a lifelong condition with the majority of children living into adulthood. Little research exists on the mental health of adults with cerebral palsy. This study included 1,700 adults 18 years or older with cerebral palsy and 5,100 adults without cerebral palsy. Those adults with cerebral palsy without an intellectual disability had a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety. The study relied on diagnostic codes for outcomes.

Authors: Kimberley J. Smith, Ph.D., University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.4147)

Editor’s Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

# # #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Wide Variation in Use of Pain Relievers During Labor Across U.S.

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Media advisory: To contact corresponding study author Alexander J. Butwick, M.B.B.S., F.R.C.A., M.S., email Erin Digitale at digitale@stanford.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6567

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Pain relief for pregnant women in labor is commonly given in the form of epidural, spinal or combined spinal-epidural blockade, which is collectively referred to as neuraxial analgesia. This study used birth certificate data and found wide variation in neuraxial analgesia use across the United States. Among 2.6 million pregnant women who underwent labor in 2015, neuraxial analgesia was used by 73 percent, with the lowest frequency in Maine and the highest in Nevada. Variation between states was only partly explained by state-level factors, which suggests other unmeasured patient-level and hospital-level factors likely were at play. It’s important to understand the main reasons behind the variation and to know whether it influences health outcomes for women and newborns.

Authors:  Alexander J. Butwick, M.B.B.S., F.R.C.A., M.S., Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, and coauthors

Visual Abstract:

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6567)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

 

Cancer Cases Attributed to Excess Body Weight Broken Down by State

JAMA Oncology

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2018

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Farhad lslami, M.D., Ph.D., email David Sampson at david.sampson@cancer.org. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time  http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.5639

 

Bottom Line: Extra body weight is associated with cancer. This study used data from several sources to examine cancer cases attributed to excess weight among adults 30 or older in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each year from 2011 to 2015, an estimated 38,000 cases of cancer in men and 75,000 in women were attributed to extra body weight. That excess weight accounted for at least 1 in 17 of all new cancers in each state. The proportion of cancer cases varied among states, with the highest proportions found in several Southern and Midwestern states, Alaska and the District of Columbia. The study has some limitations, including that proportions for some cancer types in less populated states are based on a small number of cases.

Authors: Farhad lslami, M.D., Ph.D., American Cancer Society, Atlanta, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.5639)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Patient Preferences for Collecting Sexual, Gender Identity Information

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Media advisory: To contact study author Adil Haider, M.D., M.P.H., email Johanna Younghans at jyounghans@bwh.harvard.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6506

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Emergency department patients who are sexual or gender minorities reported greater satisfaction when information on sexual and gender identity was collected on forms during registration instead of by nurses who asked about it during the visit. Understanding patient preferences for collecting this information is important because health care disparities exist for sexual and gender minority patients (including lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender identities) but the extent of those disparities is not known because of a lack of routine collection of information about sexual and gender identity from patients. This observational study analyzed survey data from 540 emergency department. It is unclear if these findings can be generalized to medical settings outside the emergency department.

Authors: Adil Haider, M.D., M.P.H., Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6506)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Could Drinking Alcohol Be Associated With Better Survival in Patients After Heart Failure Diagnosis?

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Media advisory: To contact study author David L. Brown, M.D., email Diane Duke Williams at Williamsdia@wustl.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6383

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Having seven or fewer alcoholic drinks a week was associated with increased survival in older adults with newly diagnosed heart failure compared with patients who abstained from alcohol after accounting for other potential mitigating factors. Conflicting data exist about an association between alcohol consumption and heart failure but not much is known about the safety of alcohol consumption in patients after a new diagnosis of heart failure. This observational study of 393 patients suggests limited alcohol consumption of seven drinks a week or fewer was associated with an additional average survival of just over one year at 383 days compared with abstinence from alcohol. Survival after a new diagnosis of heart failure was about 7.5 years among patients in the study. Researchers didn’t have information about the cause of heart failure in these patients. Optimal levels of alcohol consumption by adults with heart failure remain to be determined. These results should not be interpreted as suggesting that individuals with newly diagnosed heart failure show begin drinking alcohol after their diagnosis if they did not drink previously.

Authors: David L. Brown, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6383)

Editor’s Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

 

Study Details Opioid Poisoning Deaths Among Children, Teens Over Two Decades

JAMA Network Open

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Julie R. Gaither, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N., email julie.gaither@yale.edu or Ziba Kashef at Ziba.kashef@yale.edu. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6558

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

 

Bottom Line: Nearly 9,000 children and adolescents died from opioid poisonings with prescription and illicit drugs between 1999 and 2016 based on an analysis of national data. The death rate almost tripled over that time to nearly 1 per 100,000 based on the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prescription opioids were implicated in 73 percent of the deaths (6,561) and most of the deaths were unintentional (nearly 81 percent). The majority of deaths were among non-Hispanic white males but over time non-Hispanic black children accounted for a larger proportion of the deaths. The highest annual death rates during the 18 years examined in the study were among teens 15 to 19, with heroin implicated in nearly 1,900 deaths. The study relied on data from death certificates so the potential for misclassification of cause and manner of death exists. Researchers urge lawmakers, public health officials, clinicians and parents to implement protective measures to address the growing public health problem.

Authors: Julie R. Gaither, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6558)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or emailmediarelations@jamanetwork.org.

Study Analyzes Clinical Trials of Medications to Control Knee Osteoarthritis Pain

JAMA

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 11 A.M. (ET), FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2018

Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Lucio C. Rovati, M.D., email lucio.rovati@unimib.it. The full study is available on the For The Media website.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.19319

 

Bottom Line: Managing osteoarthritis requires long-term treatment for symptoms such as pain and changes in joint structure that can lead to disability. This study analyzed the combined results of 47 randomized clinical trials that lasted at least 12 months for 33 drug interventions and 22,000 patients with knee osteoarthritis. Researchers report uncertainty around the long-term effectiveness of medications to control pain for patients with knee osteoarthritis, including the two medications that were associated with improved pain (celecoxib and glucosamine sulfate). Large randomized clinical trials are needed to resolve questions regarding long-term pain control.

Authors: Lucio C. Rovati, M.D., University of Milano – Bicocca, Monza, Italy, and coauthors

 

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.19319)

Editor’s Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

#  #  #

For more information, contact JAMA Network Media Relations at 312-464-JAMA (5262) or email mediarelations@jamanetwork.org.