How do smoking-cessation outcomes vary by race in the criminal justice system?
Smokers in the criminal justice system represent some of the most disadvantaged smokers in the U.S. This study sought to determine if four sessions of standard behavioral counseling for smoking cessation would differentially aid smoking cessation for African-American versus non-Hispanic white smokers under community corrections supervision. Whites who received counseling had higher quit rates than whites who did not, and African-Americans who did not receive counseling had higher average cessation rates than African-Americans who received counseling. Medication-adherent African-American smokers had higher abstinence rates relative to other smokers. (Available for CME credit.) American Journal of Preventive Medicine
(9/2015) Share: 
APOL1 screening in potential living kidney donors
The authors explore whether African-Americans, who may be at higher risk for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after kidney donation, should undergo screening for apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene variants as potential donors. Given the association between APOL1 polymorphisms and ESRD, such testing, the authors suggest, could encourage lifestyle changes in the highly motivated but also discourage individuals from donating whose APOL1 status might put them at "high risk." At the current time, the authors stress that potential donors receive the appropriate educational materials to make an informed decision. American Journal of Kidney Diseases
(9/2015) Share:
Efficacy of oral phenylephrine HCl in seasonal allergic rhinitis
Phenylephrine hydrochloride (PE HCl) is widely used for the treatment of nasal congestion, but its efficacy is not known for certain. Subjective nasal congestion symptom relief of seven days of treatment with four different doses of PE HCl and placebo was evaluated in 539 adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). The primary efficacy endpoint was mean change from baseline over the entire treatment period in daily reflective nasal congestion score. None of the PE HCl treatment groups had a statistically significant change from baseline in instantaneous or reflective nasal congestion scores compared with placebo. PE HCl, at doses of up to 40 mg every four hours, is not significantly better than placebo at relieving nasal congestion in adults with SAR. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice
(9/2015) Share:
Takotsubo syndrome and myocardial infarction
This study showed that myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries (MINCA) was associated with many established cardiovascular risk factors without major differences in atherosclerosis markers. MINCA patients recalled a high prevalence of emotional stress before admission that together with previous psychiatric vulnerability and female gender speaks strongly in favor of Takotsubo syndrome being an important cause of MINCA. The American Journal of Cardiology
(9/15/2015) Share:
Brain health: The importance of recognizing cognitive impairment
An international committee of doctors recognizes the importance of discovering elderly patients' cognitive impairment as early as possible to promote brain health. The IAGG-GARN consensus panel agreed that (1) validated screening tests are available that can be completed in three to seven minutes; (2) a combination of patient and informant-based screens is the most appropriate approach; (3) early cognitive impairment may have treatable components; and (4) emerging data support a combination of medical and lifestyle interventions to delay/reduce cognitive decline. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
(9/2015) Share:
Antenatal magnesium and cerebral palsy in preterm infants
Infants born before 32 weeks' gestation are at the highest risk for poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, most frequently poor intellectual outcomes and cerebral palsy. In this randomized trial, women with a high risk of preterm delivery were given antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and neonatal ultrasounds were obtained. 82% of infants born at less than 32 weeks' gestation had a reduced risk of echolucency or echodensity. However, this effect can only partially explain the effect of MgSO4 on cerebral palsy at 2 years of age. The Journal of Pediatrics
(9/2015) Share:
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Study: Ambulance diversion may increase mortality risk
When ambulances were diverted to a hospital emergency department farther away, heart attack patients were almost 10% more likely to die within one year compared with when ambulances were not diverted, researchers reported in the journal Health Affairs. The study, which included almost 30,000 Medicare patients in 26 California counties, found patients also were slightly less likely to get treatments such as angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft to restore blood flow, mainly because they were taken to hospitals that had less advanced heart care technology. Kaiser Health News
(8/31) Share:
75% of US adults' hearts are aging faster than they should, CDC study finds
A CDC study published in Vital Signs found that 75% of Americans have functional heart age that is older than their chronological age. Functional age is calculated based on lifestyle and risk information including blood pressure, smoking status, BMI and diabetes. The heart age of the average man is eight years older than his chronological age, while for women heart age exceeds chronological age by five years. The authors say people should learn their functional heart age so they can then take steps to lower cardiovascular risks. United Press International
(9/1) Share:
Anti-smoking efforts continue to chip away at smoking rate
The smoking rate in the US dropped to about 15% in 2015, down from 17% one year ago and about 18% two years ago, continuing a steady decline that started in 2010, the CDC reports. Experts credit tobacco taxes, stricter smoke-free laws and more powerful anti-smoking messages for the change. The 2015 National Health Interview Survey report also shows that more men smoke than women, and blacks and whites are more likely to smoke than Hispanics. HealthDay News
(9/1) Share:
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CMS asked to postpone MU attestation period
The Medical Group Management Association has requested that the CMS extend this year's meaningful use reporting period into the first quarter of 2016. The group said that the delay in the release of the final meaningful use rule means there will not be adequate time for health care groups to improve their workflow and technologies to satisfy the revised MU standards and could cause many MU participants to not report their MU efforts in 2015. Healthcare Informatics online
(9/1) Share:
Study examines how young millennials choose providers
A Nuance survey found that 54% of respondents aged 18 to 24 use online resources and physician ratings before choosing their doctors, compared with 39% of all adults. Seventy percent of young millennials rely on recommendations from family and friends about primary care providers, compared with 41% of seniors. When patients are dissatisfied with their care, most young millennials tell family and friends, while most seniors tell their providers. MobiHealthNews.com
(8/31) Share:
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Cost is an obstacle for new cholesterol drugs
Prescribers will weigh the risks, benefits and drawbacks, including cost, of new cholesterol-lowering drugs compared with inexpensive statins. Up to 25% of patients who take statins say they experience intolerable side effects, but clinical trials have not found evidence that reports of common side effects are higher for statins than for a placebo. The newly approved drugs can come at prices above $14,000 a year. The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers)
(8/29) Share:
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Let me tell you the secret that has led to my goal: My strength lies solely in my tenacity."
-- Louis Pasteur, chemist and microbiologist Share:
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