Antidepressants and Fetal Risk: A New Look at SSRIs During Pregnancy
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during late pregnancy raised risk for neonatal pulmonary hypertension, but individual risk-benefit profiles should be evaluated.
By Allison Bryant, MD, MPH
January 19, 2012
Covering:
Kieler H et al., BMJ 2012 Jan 12; 344:d8012
Koren G and Nordeng H., BMJ 2012 Jan 12; 344:d7642
Is Preventing Transmission of Mental Illness from Parent to Child Possible?
Interventions for parents decreased risk for childhood psychiatric diagnosis by 40%.
By Martin T. Stein, MD
February 1, 2012
Covering:
Siegenthaler E et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012 Jan; 51:8
No Excess Risk for Cardiac Events with ADHD Medications in Adults
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Results support the FDA decision against a black box warning on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs.
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
January 10, 2012
Covering:
Habel LA et al., JAMA 2011 Dec 28; 306:2673
Shaw P., JAMA 2011 Dec 28; 306:2723
Exercise Referral Schemes Have Marginal Benefits for Sedentary Patients
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Patients exercised more, but body-mass index, blood pressure, and lipid levels remained unchanged.
Gestational Exposure to BPA Linked with Behavioral Effects
High levels of urinary bisphenol A measured during gestation were associated with anxious and depressed behavior and poorer emotional control in children at age 3 years.
By Louis M. Bell, MD
November 23, 2011
Covering:
Braun JM et al., Pediatrics 2011 Nov; 128:873
Social Phobia Is Distinct from Shyness
Teens who met criteria for social phobia reported greater impairment and were more likely to have psychiatric comorbidities than youth who rated themselves as shy.
Specific Genes Mediate Stimulant Response Variability in Children with ADHD
Two genetic polymorphisms were associated with individual variability in methylphenidate dose-response among school-age children with ADHD.
By Martin T. Stein, MD
November 9, 2011
Covering:
Froehlich TE et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2011 Nov; 50:1129
Yoga for Low Back Pain?
Neurology Summary and Comment
Yoga was as effective as conventional stretching and more effective than self-care in a randomized trial.
By Jaime Toro, MD
December 6, 2011
Covering:
Sherman KJ et al., Arch Intern Med 2011 Oct 24
Some Benefit Reported with Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Back function, but not pain, was better with yoga.
Use of Stimulants in Adolescents with Substance Abuse and ADHD
Adding stimulant treatment to behavioral therapy did not further reduce ADHD symptoms or substance use.
By Martin T. Stein, MD
October 26, 2011
Covering:
Riggs PD et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2011 Sep; 50:903
Cognitive Impairment and Mortality
Neurology Summary and Comment
A simple screening tool can identify people with cognitive impairment who have elevated mortality risk.
By David A. Bennett, MD
November 1, 2011
Covering:
Sachs GA et al., Ann Intern Med 2011 Sep 6; 155:300
Rise in Fatal Overdoses of Prescription Opioid Pain Relievers
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
Prescription opioid overdoses kill more people each year than heroin and cocaine overdoses combined.
By Diane M. Birnbaumer, MD, FACEP
November 18, 2011
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011 Nov 4; 60:1487
Excess Bleeding Risk in Patients Taking SSRIs plus Antiplatelet Drugs
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
An interaction was noted in patients with coronary disease.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
December 1, 2011
Covering:
Labos C et al., CMAJ 2011 Nov 8; 183:1835
Phone-Based CBT Is Effective in Easing Chronic Widespread Pain
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Exercise was roughly equally as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy, and both together were even better.
Predicting Conversion from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer Disease
Neurology Summary and Comment
Cognitive and functional measures remain significant predictors of decline compared with other biomarkers.
Some Subjective Memory Complaints Predict Cognitive Dysfunction
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Several questions about memory might help clinicians decide which patients deserve further evaluation.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
October 13, 2011
Covering:
Amariglio RE et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2011 Sep; 59:1612
Clinical Diagnosis Remarkably Accurate in Early-Onset Dementias
Neurology Summary and Comment
Free
Experts in dementia predicted neuropathology using only clinical history and neuropsychological screening exams.
Depression After Transient Ischemic Attack
Neurology Summary and Comment
Prospective data suggest that TIA confers an increased risk for depression over a prolonged period.
Simvastatin Doesn't Benefit Patients with Alzheimer Disease
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Randomized trials failed to show that statins can prevent or treat Alzheimer disease.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
August 30, 2011
Covering:
Sano M et al., Neurology 2011 Aug 9; 77:556
A New Drug Option for Smoking Cessation?
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Cytisine is modestly effective, but not sold in the U.S.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
October 13, 2011
Covering:
West R et al., N Engl J Med 2011 Sep 29; 365:1193
Caffeinated Coffee and Late-Life Depression in Women
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Study raises the possibility that coffee provides protection.
Zen and the Art of IBS Management
Gastroenterology Summary and Comment
Free
Mindfulness training was associated with significant reduction in irritable bowel syndrome severity and improvement in psychological factors.
By Douglas K. Rex, MD
October 7, 2011
Covering:
Gaylord SA et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2011 Sep; 106:1678
Antiepileptic Drugs and Risk for Major Birth Defects: Three Studies, Varied Findings
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Despite methodological distinctions, results suggest that low-dose monotherapy is an ideal goal during pregnancy.
By Autumn Klein, MD, PhD
July 14, 2011
Covering:
Cunnington MC et al., Neurology 2011 May 24; 76:1817
Tomson T et al., Lancet Neurol 2011 Jul; 10:609
Mølgaard-Nielsen D and Hviid A., JAMA 2011 May 18; 305:1996
Sleeping Easy: Evening Media Use and Violent Content Affect Children's Sleep
Watching scary or violent content anytime, exposure to media in the evening, and having a TV in a child's bedroom were associated with sleep problems in preschoolers.
By Louis M. Bell, MD
July 27, 2011
Covering:
Garrison MM et al., Pediatrics 2011 Jul; 128:29
Lactation Support Can Help Fend Off Postpartum Depression
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Help for breast-feeding pain while in the hospital was associated with lower risk for developing postpartum depression.
