Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for November 2019. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Three Meds Equal as Second-Line Therapy for Status Epilepticus
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Levetiracetam, fosphenytoin, and valproate are equally effective in children and adults for the treatment of benzodiazepine-refractory convulsive status epilepticus, according to a study published in the Nov. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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U.S. Life Expectancy Dropped Since 2014 for Working-Age Adults
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — U.S. life expectancy increased from 1959 to 2016 but has been decreasing since 2014, according to research published in the Nov. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Potentially Tainted Marijuana Sold in Colorado
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A warning about possibly contaminated and moldy recreational and medical marijuana has been issued by Colorado officials.
Large BP Variation Tied to Greater Long-Term Risk for Dementia
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Large variation in blood pressure is associated with an increased long-term risk for dementia, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in PLOS Medicine.
Longer PAP Therapy for Apnea Reduces Medical Visits, Costs
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy reduces acute and inpatient care visits as well as health care costs, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
Polio Vaccines Causing Polio Cases
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More children worldwide are being paralyzed by polio viruses from vaccines than from viruses in the wild, according to new data.
AP News Article
More Information: WHO
Maternal Efavirenz May Up Risk for Microcephaly Among Offspring
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In utero exposure to efavirenz is associated with an increased risk for microcephaly among children who are HIV-exposed but uninfected, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in The Lancet HIV.
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Sleep Deprivation Affects More Than Just Attention
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Sleep deprivation has more far-reaching effects on cognitive function than previously thought, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
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Electronic Health Record Usability Graded F by Physicians
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The usability of current electronic health records (EHRs) is classified as unacceptable, with physician-rated EHR usability independently linked to the odds of burnout, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Cognition Declines Tied to Hearing Loss Begin Early
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Declines in cognition are seen even in individuals with subclinical aged-related hearing loss, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
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CDC: Nearly Half of TBI-Related Deaths Categorized as Intentional
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 2015 to 2017, 44 percent of traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related deaths were categorized as intentional injuries, according to research published in the Nov. 22 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Employee Premiums, Deductibles Eating Larger Share of Income
THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — During the last decade, health care costs have eaten up a larger share of income for millions of middle-class Americans with employer coverage, according to Trends in Employer Health Care Coverage, 2008-2018, a Nov. 21 report from The Commonwealth Fund.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Comorbidities Before, After Diagnosis
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There are associations between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple comorbidities before and after diagnosis, with inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurring more often before RA diagnosis versus controls, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy May Reduce Essential Tremor
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (tcMRgFUS) thalamotomy shows continued benefit for suppression of medication-refractory essential tremor (ET) at three years, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in Neurology.
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Ubrogepant Superior to Placebo for Migraine Pain Relief
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Acute treatment of migraine with ubrogepant leads to significantly greater rates of pain freedom at two hours than placebo, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Umbilical Cord Milking May Harm Extremely Preterm Infants
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In preterm infants born at less than 32 weeks of gestation, there is no significant difference in the rate for the composite outcome of mortality or severe intraventricular hemorrhage with umbilical cord milking versus delayed umbilical cord clamping, according to a study published in the Nov. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the study was terminated early due to a significantly higher rate of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in the umbilical cord-milking group.
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Statin Use Not Linked to Rate of Cognitive Decline in Seniors
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Statin therapy is not associated with increased decline in memory or cognition among older adults, according to a study published in the Nov. 26 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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VA, DoD Update Guideline for Rehabilitation After Stroke
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a systematic review and clinical practice guideline, published online Nov. 19 in Annals of Internal Medicine, recommendations from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense are presented for stroke rehabilitation and nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments for motor deficits and mood disorders in adults who have had stroke.
The Management of Stroke Rehabilitation
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Optic Nerve Ultrasound May ID Increased Intracranial Pressure
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Optic nerve ultrasonography can help diagnose increased intracranial pressure with high specificity and sensitivity for patients with traumatic and nontraumatic brain injury, according to a review published online Nov. 19 in Annals of Internal Medicine.
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HbA1c Variability Linked to Cardiovascular Disease Risk
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, visit-to-visit hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) variability is associated with increased risks for cardiovascular disease and microvascular complications, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in Diabetes Care.
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Bipartisan Bill to Curb Drug Costs Backed by White House
MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A bipartisan Senate bill that would curb prescription drug costs is being backed by the Trump administration as a new poll shows that many Americans think the White House has done little to tackle the issue.
White House Wants Hospitals, Insurers to Provide Actual Costs of Care
MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — New rules requiring hospitals and insurers to disclose the actual prices for common tests and procedures before they are performed have been proposed by the Trump Administration.
Risk for Disability Worsening Increased for MS With Comorbid Depression
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The risk for disability worsening is increased for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and comorbid depression, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Neurology.
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About 2.7 Million ED Visits Reported for Sports Injuries in 2010 to 2016
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — About 2.7 million emergency department visits for sports injuries occurred during 2010 to 2016, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in the National Health Statistics Reports, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Higher Waist Circumference Tied to Increased Risk for Dementia
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Abdominal obesity is associated with a significantly increased risk for dementia, even after adjustment for general obesity, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in Obesity.
Survey of U.S. Registered Nurses Points to Worsening Shortages
THURSDAY, Nov. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The 2019 AMN Healthcare Survey of Registered Nurses raises concerns about the outlook for the nursing profession in the United States.
2019 Survey of Registered Nurses
Illiteracy Tied to Dementia in Older Adults With Low Education
THURSDAY, Nov. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Illiteracy is associated with prevalent and incident dementia, but not with the rate of cognitive decline, among older adults with low education, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in Neurology.
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Insomnia Symptoms Associated With Increased Risk of CVD
THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Individual and coexisting symptoms of insomnia are associated with increased risk for cardio-cerebral vascular diseases (CVD), according to a study published on Nov. 6 in Neurology.
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More Hospital Days Seen With Antipsychotic Use in Alzheimer Disease
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Alzheimer disease patients who initiate treatment with antipsychotic medications spend more days hospitalized than those who do not initiate antipsychotics, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
Imaging Rates Continue to Rise Despite Efforts to Reduce
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Despite initiatives to reduce the use of medical imaging, rates continue to rise in both the United States and Ontario, Canada, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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MENACTRIMS Guidelines for Multiple Sclerosis Updated
TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a revised 2019 guideline, published in the January 2020 issue of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, updated recommendations from the Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (MENACTRIMS) are presented for the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).
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Many Multiple Sclerosis Patients Considering Stem Cell Transplant
FRIDAY, Nov. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are considering autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) as a treatment option, according to a study published in the January 2020 issue of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.
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Medical Practices Burdened by Regulatory Requirements
TUESDAY, Nov. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The vast majority of group medical practices report that regulatory requirements, including prior authorization and quality payment programs, are burdensome, according to a survey released by the Medical Group Management Association.
Annual Regulatory Burden Survey
Number of Cancer Patients Using Gabapentinoids Up Since 2005
TUESDAY, Nov. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Between 2005 and 2015, there was a more than twofold increase in the percentage of adults with cancer using gabapentinoids, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in Supportive Care in Cancer.
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Seriously Ill Medicare Beneficiaries Face Financial Hardship
MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Seriously ill Medicare enrollees experience considerable financial distress, according to a report published in the November issue of Health Affairs.
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Dr. Stephen Hahn Nominated to Head FDA
MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Radiation oncology expert Stephen Hahn, M.D., has been nominated as the new U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner.
Dementia Common in Down Syndrome Patients Aged ≥55
MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More than half of individuals with Down syndrome aged 55 years or older have dementia claims and 32.7 percent have Alzheimer disease (AD) claims, according to a research letter published online Oct. 28 in JAMA Neurology.
Intensive BP Control in Elderly With HTN May Aid Brain Health
MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Intensive lowering of ambulatory blood pressure in older patients with hypertension reduced accumulation of small vessel disease in the white matter of the brain, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in Circulation.
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Recommendations Developed to Address Clinician Burnout
FRIDAY, Nov. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout, a new report published online Oct. 23 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, recommendations are presented to address clinician burnout.
Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout
Hospitalizations May Hasten Cognitive Decline in the Elderly
FRIDAY, Nov. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, a higher rate of hospitalizations is associated with more rapid cognitive decline, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in the Annals of Neurology.
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