MEDICAL NEWS BRIEFS #12
Women With Premenstrual Disorders May Have Increased Likelihood For Early Menopause and Moderate or Severe Vasomotor Symptoms
The U.S. nurses health study of 1220 women with premenstrual disorders showed they have a greater chance of early menopause and vasomotor symptoms than women who do not. These findings were published in JAMA NETWORK OPEN.
Menstrual Cycle Irregularity in Adolescence Is Linked To Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood—Journal of the American Heart Association
Black and young women who had menstrual cycle irregularity and an early age of starting menses had a higher risk of cardiometabolic problems in early adulthood.
Fatigue and Related Comorbid Disorders More Commonly Reported in Patients With Chronic Migraine Rather than Episodic.
The Journal of Neuroscience in Rural Practice reports the incidence of fatigue was more commonly reported by patients with chronic migraine than by those patients with episodic migraine. I’m not sure what this means.
Highly Processed Packaged Foods, Drinks May Increase Risk For Depression
People who consume 9 portions or more per day of ultraprocessed food and drinks have a 50% greater chance of developing depression. This is particularly pertinent for items containing artificial sweeteners. This was published online in JAMA Network Open.
Endometriosis Tied to Adverse pregnancy Outcomes
The Journal of Clinical Medicine studied women with endometriosis and found they had significantly more adverse outcomes in pregnancy than those without endometriosis—early labor, bleeding, etc.
Combination Therapy for Acne Reduces Severity in About Half of Patients
In the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, a study report says that a combination of Clindamycin, benzoyl peroxide, and adapalene after 12 weeks reduced acne severity in about half of patients.
Patients Preferred Convenient Asthma Management Options That Prioritized Decreases in Short Term Mortality Over Long Term Goals
In the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology it was reported that asthma patients preferred convenient management options that work acutely/immediately more than those that alter the disease long term. Patients prefer relief of shortness of breath and wheezing over long-term improvement of symptoms.
FDA Declines to Approve Epinephrine Nasal Spray, Calls for Additional Research
Epinephrine (adrenalin) nasal spray is used to treat severe allergic reactions as an alternative to EPI-PEN injections. The FDA has told ARS Pharmaceuticals Inc., the manufacturer, they need more research on the product and did not approve it for use.
Analgesia Should Be Given for Acute Abdominal Pain
American Family Physician journal reports that controlling pain in patients with acute abdominal pain is now recommended as it is “patient-centered” therapy. Not until recently was it considered appropriate to give an acute abdominal pain patient analgesia because it was thought to mask the symptoms and make diagnosis more difficult. Physical findings were thought to be suppressed and the degree of patient discomfort blunted. I guess this concern no longer applies.
Low-dose CT Screening for Lung Cancer Decreases Deaths in People 40 Years and Older
Low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer is effective but to prevent one death one has to screen 226 patients over 8.8 years. In other words, this is not a cost-effective screening method, but it is effective for the purpose for which it is intended.
Diagnostic Testing for Hypertension, Diabetes, and Hypercholesterolemia Remains Low Globally
Testing for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol is more common in higher socio-economic populations while low- and middle-income country residents are not tested. So says an article in The Lancet Global Health. In low economic countries communicable disease is a bigger concern, and many people don’t survive to an age where HTN, cholesterol, and diabetes become a problem.
Paxlovid Only 37% Effective at Preventing Hospitalization or Death Among High-Risk Patients with COVID-19 Compared To No Treatment At All
Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral drug, in “a real-world study,” was only 37% effective at preventing the infections most serious cases when compared to no treatment at all. This compares to 89% efficacy demonstrated in initial trials. JAMA Open Network
Obesity Becoming More Common in Growing Number of States, CDC data indicate
Twenty-two states had at least 35% of adults with obesity while in 2021, 19% were obese. Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia exceeded 40% according to CDC data.
Women With Gestational Diabetes Appear to Have Greater Risk for Later Mortality Over 30 years Compared to pregnant women without gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes appears to have negative consequences for later life. JAMA Int Med
References: AAFP Family Medicine Today: Women with premenstrual disorders may have increased likelihood for early menopause and moderate or sever vasomotor symptoms 2023 Sept 20.
Menstrual cycle irregularity in Adolescence linked to cardiometabolic health in early
adulthood 2023 Sept 20.
Fatigue and related comorbid disorders more commonly reported in patients with chronic
rather than episodic migraine 2023 Sept. 20.
Highly processed packaged food, drinks may increase risk for depression 2023 Sept 21.
Combination therapy appears to reduce acne severity in about half of patients 2023 Sept 21
Patients preferred convenient asthma management options that prioritized decreases in
short term morbidity over long term goals 2023 Sept 21.
FDA declines to approve epinephrine nasal spray, calls for more research 2023 Sept 21.
AFP Clinical Answers Should analgesia becorovided for patients with undifferentiated abdominal pain? Am Fam Phys 2023 September;108(3):235.
AFP Clinical Answers Does low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer reduce lung cancer-related mortality? Am Fam Phys 2023 September;108(3):235.
AAFP Family Medicine Today Diagnostic testing for hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia remains low globally 2023 Sept 22.
Real-world study find Paxlovid only 37% effective at preventing hospitalization or death
among high-risk patients with COVID-19 compared to no treatment at all. 2023 Sept 22.
Obesity becoming more common in growing number of states, CDC data indicate 2023
Sept 22.
Women with Gestational Diabetes appear to have greater risk for subsequent mortality over
30 years compared to women pregnant without gestational diabetes 2023 Sept 22.