Health Care News

• HIV patients may be more prone to certain skin cancers
  HIV-positive patients were at double the risk of developing basal cell carcinomas and almost triple the risk for squamous cell carcinomas compared with HIV-negative individuals, a study of more than 43,500 patients found. An immune system deficiency may be behind the association, researchers said. The findings appeared online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. HealthDay News (2/1)     

• Abdominal fat tied to death risk in heart disease
  Data on more than 15,000 heart disease patients showed those who were of normal weight overall but had relatively large waistlines were 27% more likely to die than people who were obese but whose fat was distributed in other areas of their bodies rather than around their waistlines. The findings in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicate physicians should consider distribution of weight in evaluating risk, the researchers said. HealthDay News (1/31)     

• Gaps between insulin, eating do not affect glucose in type 2 study
  The blood glucose levels of type 2 diabetes patients stayed stable whether or not they waited 20 to 30 minutes between taking insulin and eating, German researchers found. The results were published in Diabetes Care. Reuters (1/31)     

• Married people are less likely to suffer heart attacks
  Single men and women had a greater likelihood of experiencing a heart attack or dying from a heart attack compared with married people, according to a Finnish study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. While it remains uncertain how marriage affects heart health, researchers suggest that married couples may have better financial status, social support and hospital care than single people. DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (1/31)     

• How a palliative care NP solved patient's pneumonia mystery
  Don Johnson of Anderson, Ind., had repeated hospitalizations for pneumonia but it took palliative care nurse practitioner Kathy Glass less than two hours to figure out the reason was that he was aspirating food into his lungs. Johnson has other medical issues, such as heart failure and asthma, but he has not been hospitalized for pneumonia since he started the palliative care program last September, and his wife says the program has helped him to cope. The Herald Bulletin (Anderson, Ind.) (1/26)     

Pharmaceutical News

• Drugs show efficacy in patients with type 2 diabetes, ESRD
  Sitagliptin therapy led to a 0.72% reduction in mean A1C levels at 54 weeks, while glipizide treatment resulted in an 0.87% decrease among type 2 diabetes patients with end-stage renal disease who require dialysis, according to a study in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. Researchers also found the incidence rates of symptomatic hypoglycemia were 6.3% in the sitagliptin group and 10.8% in the glipizide group. Renal and Urology News (1/30)     

• Swine flu vaccine linked to narcolepsy risk in U.K. study
  GlaxoSmithKline's H1N1 swine flu vaccine was associated with a nearly tenfold increased risk of narcolepsy in children admitted at sleep centers across the U.K., a study found. The findings were consistent with those from Swedish, Finnish and Irish studies that showed that the risk of developing the sleeping disorder was seven to 13 times greater in children who received the vaccine given during the 2009-10 pandemic than their unvaccinated peers. Reuters (1/31)     

• Novartis recalls cold, cough syrups over defective caps
  Novartis Consumer Health removed from the market 2.3 million bottles of Triaminic and Theraflu medicine syrups due to faulty child-resistant caps, the U.S. Consumer Product Safely Commission said. Of the 12 reported children who managed to open the caps, four accidentally ingested the medication, including one who needed medical attention. ABC News (1/31)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AANP SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Some nursing schools put focus on doctoral programs (The Kansas City Nursing News)

• Treatment guidelines issued for type 2 diabetes in children (Time.com)

• New stroke care guidelines emphasize speed (HealthDay News)

• Screen patients for reproductive coercion, group recommends (Medical News Today)

• Changing roles lead more nurses toward advanced degrees (Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Ind.))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Emerging Trends, Products and Technologies

• WHO issues first sodium recommendations for children
  The World Health Organization released on Thursday its first ever guidelines on dietary sodium intake for children aged 2 and older. The recommendations are dependent on the child's size, age and energy requirements. For adults, daily intake of sodium was reduced to less than 2,000 milligrams and daily intake of potassium was revised to at least 3,510 mg. Reuters (1/31)     

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Health Policy and Legislative News

• HHS proposes new rules for contraception mandate
  The HHS proposed letting more religiously affiliated employers -- but not all employers -- opt out of the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate. "We will continue to work with faith-based organizations, women's organizations, insurers and others to achieve these goals," HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. Lawsuits against the requirement could reach the Supreme Court. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/1), The Hill/Healthwatch blog (2/1), United Press International (2/1)     

AANP News

• Rural health stakeholder call is today
  HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will host a Rural Health Stakeholder Call today to discuss new steps that HHS is taking to help reduce the regulatory burden faced by rural hospitals, clinics and clinicians who play a key role in ensuring access to high quality health services in rural America. These measures are part of efforts by the White House Rural Council chaired by Vilsack. Dr. Patrick Conway, chief medical officer at CMS and director of the CMS Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, will join the call to provide further details about the regulatory changes and to answer your questions. When: 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time today at (888) 455-2963, pass code: Rural. If you are not able to join us today, hear a replay of by calling (888) 568-0502 within the following 30 days. For those attending the National Rural Health Association Rural Health Policy Institute, the call will be broadcast during the event.     

SmartQuote

To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, subtract things every day." --Laozi, Chinese philosopher