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Nursing

News, opinions and meeting coverage in nursing.

Antidepressants, Lyrica OK Combo in Fibromyalgia

SAN DIEGO -- Patients with fibromyalgia who were taking antidepressants found that their pain was successfully managed with pregabalin (Lyrica), a researcher said here.

Striking a Nerve: Heinz Kerry Recovers

Teresa Heinz Kerry is back at work less than 4 months after a mysterious seizure hospitalized her. Striking a Nerve is a blog by John Gever for readers interested in neurology.

Few Lupus, IBD Patients Getting HPV Vaccine

SAN DIEGO -- Despite being at greater risk of infection, few children and young adults with autoimmune diseases are being vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to a study.

Yoga May Be Good for COPD

CHICAGO -- With its focus on breathing exercises, yoga may improve some of the symptoms of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) along with boosting quality of life, researchers said here.

Scoliosis Tied to HTN Risk in Adolescents

ORLANDO -- Children with severe spinal curving from scoliosis were more likely to have worsening risk indicators for pulmonary hypertension, researchers reported here.

CardioBuzz: Turn Off the Wireless on an ICD?

Electrophysiologists described how turning off the wireless function on an ICD -- as former vice-president Dick Cheney had done -- might affect patient care. CardioBuzz is a blog by Todd Neale for readers with an interest in cardiology.

Sleep Problems, Poor Angioplasty Outcomes Linked

Disturbed sleep is common in heart patients following coronary angioplasty and is an independent risk factor for poor cardiac outcomes, researchers reported.

Hyperthyroid Drugs Tied to Birth Defects

SAN JUAN -- Two of the most commonly used drugs for treating hyperthyroidism were linked to birth defects when used in early pregnancy, though they have differing effects, researchers reported here.

TSH Suppression: More Harm Than Good After Cancer Surgery?

SAN JUAN -- Suppressing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) after thyroidectomy for low-risk cancer increases the risk of osteoporosis in women without cutting back on cancer recurrence, researchers reported here.

Common Cause for Bruxism, Restless Legs, Migraine?

NEW ORLEANS -- About half of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) seen in a single neurology practice also qualified for diagnoses of bruxism and migraine, suggesting a possible common cause for these disorders, a researcher said here.

Heart Surgery as Infant Hikes Risk for ADHD Later

Children who underwent surgery for congenital heart disease in the first year of life appeared to carry an increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) once they reached school age, researchers found.

MoCA Beats MMSE to Assess Dementia

NEW ORLEANS -- The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was better than the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at teasing out subtle differences in cognitive performance among mildly impaired individuals, researchers reported here.

Xyrem Helps With Nighttime Sleep in Narcolepsy

NEW ORLEANS -- Narcolepsy patients troubled by frequent nighttime awakenings had less sleep disruption when taking sodium oxybate (Xyrem) than modafinil (Provigil) in a randomized trial, a researcher reported here.

Striking a Nerve: MS Cured With an OTC Drug?

A neurology researcher is planning a clinical trial of a widely available drug that he thinks could stave off disability in multiple sclerosis patients. How much should he (or we) say publicly about it?

Repeat Botox OK for Urinary Incontinence in MS Patients

COPENHAGEN -- Long-term treatment with serial onabotulinum toxin A (Botox) of urinary incontinence among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients appeared to be safe and effective, researchers reported here.

Daytime Snoozing May Tell Risk of Hypoglycemia

Older patients with diabetes who are overly tired during the day may be at a higher risk for hypoglycemia, researchers reported.

Concierge Medicine Gains Ground

SAN DIEGO -- Concierge doctors are spreading the word that it's possible to operate a direct primary care practice, make a living, and avoid one of the biggest headaches for family medicine physicians -- dealing with health insurance companies.

AAFP to Look at Allowing NPs, PAs to Join

SAN DIEGO -- The American Academy of Family Physicians wants to further study whether nurse practitioners and physician assistants should -- or would want to -- become nonvoting members.

Data Supports Eslicarbazepine in Epilepsy

VIENNA -- Pooled phase III study results on eslicarbazepine acetate, a prodrug for S(+)-liscarbazepine, showed that the drug outperformed placebo as add-on therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults, a researcher said here.

Add 'Shrapnel' to Workup for Lightning Strike

A shrapnel-like injury associated with a lightening strike provided a reminder for emergency physicians not to overlook the unexpected when examining patients.

Neurotransmitter Linked to Post-Traumatic Stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder is associated with lowered levels of norepinephrine transporter, a neurotransmitter in a brain region that plays a role in panic and stress, researchers reported.

Effects of Early Puberty in Girls Persist as Adults

Women with a history of idiopathic precocious puberty had increased rates of clinical hyperandrogenism, but fertility was normal in adulthood among those who had been treated for the condition, a cross-sectional study found.

ACP Hedges in Debate on Scope of Practice

The American College of Physicians took a nuanced position on the role advanced nurse practitioners play in clinical care teams in a position paper published Monday.

FDA Approves Device to Treat Enlarged Prostate

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- An implanted suture-based system to help men with enlarged prostates urinate more freely has been approved by the FDA, the agency said Friday.

'Nose Knows' Devices Not Ready for Clinic

BARCELONA -- Within a decade, doctors may be able to diagnose cancer, asthma, and tuberculosis simply by having an electronic nose analyze a person's breath, researchers reported here.

In Some Patients Metformin Impairs Thinking

The widely acclaimed diabetes drug metformin was linked with impaired brain function in patients who took the drug, although supplementation with vitamin B12 may alleviate metformin-induced deficiencies, according to new research.

Baldness Drug May Depress Sperm Count

Men men using finasteride to treat baldness had a dramatic increase in sperm count following discontinuation of the drug, according to a review of records at a male infertility clinic.

Antidepressants Have No Effect on Bone Loss

The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or tricyclic antidepressants among women in midlife didn't lead to a greater rate of bone loss, a prospective cohort study found.

N.H. Hospital May Have Exposed Patients to CJD

Health officials in New Hampshire said eight neurosurgery patients at one hospital in the state may have been unwittingly exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

Xenical Helps PCOS Patients Slim Down

Lifestyle changes plus the weight-loss drug orlistat (Xenical) helped women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) shed pounds, leading to metabolic improvements, researchers found.

Medicare's DME Bidding Program Criticized

Despite complaints from multiple parties, Medicare's bidding program for durable medical equipment -- including diabetes supplies -- now includes suppliers to half of all program beneficiaries.

Low BP May Be Fatal in CKD

Chronic kidney disease patients, including those with diabetes, who were not on dialysis were more likely to die when blood pressure was too low, even if only on the diastolic measure, a veterans cohort showed.

Vitamin D, IGF-1, Growth Hormone Have Deep Ties

Vitamin D and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are involved in a complex interplay that may have implications for growth hormone dosing, researchers found.

Range of Due Dates Better for Expectant Moms

Pregnant women may be better off with a range of delivery dates rather than a set date due to variability in gestation times, researchers found.

FDA Panel Vetoes New Tolvaptan Indication

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- An FDA advisory committee has declined to endorse an expanded indication for tolvaptan (Samsca) to treat autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Lab Notes: Meth May Worsen Fungal Infection

Mice injected with methamphetamine and exposed to Cryptococcus fungi showed more extensive and hard-to-eradicate infections. Also this week: an organic pesticide fights parasitic worms.

Losing a Tattoo, Gaining a Tumor

An unintended consequence of laser tattoo removal in a 29-year-old man was a diagnosis of malignant melanoma, according to a German case report.

FDA Warns of Fatal Skin Reactions with Acetaminophen

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Acetaminophen is associated with rare but severe and sometimes fatal skin reactions at usual doses, the FDA said Thursday.

FDA Panel Favors Nasacort OTC Switch

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- An FDA advisory committee voted Wednesday to make allergy nasal spray triamcinolone acetonide (Nasacort AQ) available without a prescription -- but some expressed concern about its use in children.

Wyeth Settles Rapamune Marketing Charge

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Pfizer's Wyeth Pharmaceuticals unit will pay $490.9 million to resolve state and federal allegations that it marketed rapamycin (sirolimus, Rapamune) for unapproved indications.

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