Author: Marie Benz MD FAAD

04 Mar

Posted at 01:58h in Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, JAMA, Pharmaceutical Companies
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53363" align="alignleft" width="200"]Olivier Wouters, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Health Policy Department of Health Policy (COW 2.06) London School of Economics and Political Science Dr. Wouters[/caption] Olivier Wouters, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Health Policy Department of Health Policy (COW 2.06) London School of Economics and Political Science MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Drug companies often point to high research and development costs as justification for the rising prices of new medicines. Yet most prior analyses of research and development costs have been based on confidential data voluntarily supplied by drug companies to researchers with financial ties to the industry. Independent teams have not been able to verify those findings.

04 Mar

Posted at 01:48h in Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, JAMA, University of Pittsburgh
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_46836" align="alignleft" width="132"]MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Inmaculada Hernandez, PharmD, PhD Assistant Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Dr. Hernandez[/caption] Inmaculada Hernandez, PharmD, PhD Assistant Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Prior research found that list prices of drugs more than doubled in the last decade. However, because prior research was based on list prices, it did not account for manufacturer discounts, which have also increased in the past few years. We leveraged net pricing data from the investment firm SSR health to estimate increases in drug prices after accounting for discounts.

03 Mar

Posted at 21:40h in Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, JAMA, Pediatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Hooman Azad First author and a 3rd year medical student Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Eric Fleegler, MD MPH FAAP Senior author and Pediatric Emergency Physician Boston Children’s Hospital Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine Harvard Medical School MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Pediatric firearm violence is a public health crisis. The firearm fatality rate has increased by >50% over the past 10 years. Over our 26-year study period (1991-2016), 13,697 children under the age of 15 died at the hands of a firearm. Laws have been employed to try to reduce these deaths, and Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws, which aim to hold parents liable for the safe storage of their firearms, were passed in 25 states between 1989-2000. No new state passed a CAP laws after the year 2000. Child Access Prevention laws come in two flavors – recklessness laws that hold firearm owners liable for directly providing firearms to a minor, and negligence laws that hold the firearm owner liable for the unsafe storage of firearms with variability in how storage is defined and what penalties are imposed.

03 Mar

Posted at 01:39h in Author Interviews, Nutrition, Pediatrics, Sugar
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53374" align="alignleft" width="200"]Lori Spruance PhD Assistant Professor, Public Health College of Life Sciences Brigham Young University Dr. Spruance[/caption] Lori Spruance PhD Assistant Professor, Public Health College of Life Sciences Brigham Young University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: I was interested in studying this phenomenon after I attended a research conference presentation where the presenter was describing results from a study where they found that children between ages 6-11 who were physically active drank more sugar-sweetened beverages than children in that age group who were not physically active. The presenter suggested that they believed this was due to youth sports and Gatorade consumption. I was really intrigued by the fact that kids were getting physical activity, but had really high sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Prior to the study, I did some qualitative interviews with parents of children involved in youth sports. During these interviews, parents discussed the “snack culture” and the shame they sometimes feel being the “healthy parent”. I really wanted to investigate further what was happening.

03 Mar

Posted at 00:23h in Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Omega-3 Fatty Acids
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53366" align="alignleft" width="200"]Lee Hooper PhD, RD Reader in Research Synthesis, Nutrition & Hydration Norwich Medical School Norwich, UK Dr. Hooper[/caption] Lee Hooper PhD, RD Reader in Research Synthesis, Nutrition & Hydration Norwich Medical School Norwich, UK  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Polyunsaturated fats are common healthy eating choices, and fish oil (long-chain omega-3 including EPA and DHA) and flaxseed (containing alpha-linolenic acid, ALA, a plant-based omega-3) supplements are commonly consumed. Worldwide cardiovascular disease was responsible for 37% of premature deaths due to non-communicable disease in 2012, and cancers were responsible for 27%.  Small effects of omega-3 and polyunsaturated fats on cardiovascular diseases and cancers could have big effects on worldwide health.

02 Mar

Posted at 23:44h in Addiction, Author Interviews, JAMA, Pediatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53342" align="alignleft" width="200"]Karl Alcover, PhD Postdoctoral Research Associate Behavioral Health Innovations Washington State University Dr. Alcover[/caption] Karl Alcover, PhD Postdoctoral Research Associate Behavioral Health Innovations Washington State University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: It has been a public health focus to prevent early exposure to drugs. Our paper shows that the average age of initiation of drug use among adolescents and young adults has been increasing from 2004 to 2017. We found that 12 of 18 drugs (including alcohol and tobacco products) had statistically increasing average ages of initiation. To our knowledge, no studies have documented these findings. We think this is great news because delaying initiation of drugs prevents early exposure, which we know is associated with various long-term negative health outcomes. Also, these promising trends may serve as initial evidence that prevention strategies, especially those that focus on adolescents and young adults, are working.

28 Feb

Posted at 14:55h in Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews, Hearing Loss
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53358" align="alignleft" width="160"]Julia Sarant, PhD  Associate Professor Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Melbourne School of Health Sciences Dr. Sarant[/caption] Julia Sarant, PhD Associate Professor Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Melbourne School of Health Sciences MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Dementia is a rapidly growing global problem. Hearing loss has been identified by the Lancet Commissions as a modifiable risk factor for dementia. There is no treatment for dementia. This study investigated the effect of hearing aid use on cognition over time in older adults, objectively assessing hearing loss treatment, compliance and benefits while controlling for the effects of other known risk factors for dementia. 

28 Feb

Posted at 01:17h in Asthma, Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Nature
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53322" align="alignleft" width="92"]Zbigniew Zasłona PhD Luke A. J. O’Neill PhD Professor (Chair of Biochemistry) School of Biochemistry and Immunology Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Dr. Zasłona and Dr. ONeill[/caption] Zbigniew Zasłona PhD Luke A. J. O’Neill PhD Professor (Chair of Biochemistry) School of Biochemistry and Immunology Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Asthma is the most common disease in childhood and the most common respiratory condition in Ireland. It is a disease of environmental and genetic components. It is important to point out that although Ireland has very good air quality, asthma prevalence is very high (the second highest in Europe), and although asthma is not a single gene disease (such as cystic fibrosis) it is very important to study genetic variations in Irish population. Therefore in this study we put emphasis on the genetic component of asthma, rather than environmental factors, especially given that asthma heritability has been estimated as high as 60%. Prevention of asthma by reducing exposure to common risk factors, such as air pollution, will not stop the asthma epidemic in Ireland, as inferior air quality is not an issue.

28 Feb

Posted at 00:19h in Author Interviews, JAMA, Mental Health Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53338" align="alignleft" width="190"]Dr. Aristotle Voineskos MD, PhD, FRCPC Director, Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition and Head, Kimel Family Translational Imaging-Genetics Laboratory Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute CAMH University of Toronto Dr. Voineskos[/caption] Dr. Aristotle Voineskos MD, PhD, FRCPC Director, Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition and Head, Kimel Family Translational Imaging-Genetics Laboratory Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute CAMH University of Toronto MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Uncontrolled studies in humans have shown conflicting results regarding effects of antipsychotic medications on brain structure. Recent studies in animals (e.g. rats and non-human primates) show that these medications may be associated with brain volume loss. To date, our knowledge of the effects of antipsychotic medications on brain structure in humans have been limited by the lack of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with brain imaging. Ours is the first such study. It is considered unethical to do such a study in people with schizophrenia, because of the life-saving benefits of these medications in this illness. However, in people with depression also experiencing psychosis, it was possible to do such a study once people experienced remission from their illness.

27 Feb

Posted at 22:51h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Immunotherapy, Science
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53319" align="alignleft" width="145"]Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD Associate Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) Co-Director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO 63110  Dr. Kim[/caption] Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD Associate Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) Co-Director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO 63110 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: It has been known well for decades that a specific part of your immune system called the “type 2 immune response” is overactive in atopic disease. Indeed, that is what new drugs like dupilumab block so effectively and thus revolutionized the treatment of atopic disorders just in the last few years. In fact, our lab focuses predominantly on this part of the immune system. However, increasingly it is becoming recognized that the immune system is not just about whether it is “on or off” but rather a balance like yin and yang. Along these lines, we noticed that a cell that could theoretically counterbalance atopic inflammation was significantly deficient in many patients with eczema. This cell is the natural killer (NK) cell.

27 Feb

Posted at 21:14h in Author Interviews, BMC, Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, Weight Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53328" align="alignleft" width="120"]Carolyn Ee PhD NICM Health Research Institute Western Sydney University Australia Dr. Ee[/caption] Carolyn Ee PhD NICM Health Research Institute Western Sydney University Australia MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Worldwide and in Australia, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Weight gain is common after diagnosis of breast cancer and may increase tumour recurrence risk, mortality rate, and worsen quality of life. As there was no national data on the prevalence of weight gain after breast cancer in Australia, we undertook a national survey which was open to any woman living in Australia who had breast cancer.

27 Feb

Posted at 19:29h in AACR, Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Genetic Research, Yale
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53325" align="alignleft" width="160"]Lajos Pusztai, M.D, D.Phil. Professor of Medicine Director, Breast Cancer Translational Research Co-Director, Yale Cancer Center Genetics and Genomics Program Yale Cancer Center Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT 05620 Dr. Pusztai[/caption] Lajos Pusztai, M.D, D.Phil. Professor of Medicine Director, Breast Cancer Translational Research Co-Director, Yale Cancer Center Genetics and Genomics Program Yale Cancer Center Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT 05620  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We analyzed breast cancer tissues obtained before any therapy and the same cancers after 20 weeks of chemotherapy. This setting is ideal to find out what genomic changes have occurred in cancers that survived therapy. Due to the paucity of such specimens few other studies exist in this space.

27 Feb

Posted at 11:36h in Aging, Author Interviews, JAMA
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53301" align="alignleft" width="150"]Dr. Konstantin G. Arbeev, PhD Associate Research Professor Biodemography of Aging Research Unit (BARU) Social Science Research Institute (SSRI)  Duke University Dr. Arbeev[/caption] Dr. Konstantin G. Arbeev, PhD Associate Research Professor Biodemography of Aging Research Unit (BARU) Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) Duke University [caption id="attachment_53302" align="alignleft" width="125"]Dr. Abraham Aviv, MD Department Pediatrics Director, The Center of Human Development and Aging Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Dr. Aviv[/caption] Dr. Abraham Aviv, MD Department Pediatrics Director, The Center of Human Development and Aging Rutgers New Jersey Medical School MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: A body of research has shown that having comparatively short leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with increased risk of death in adults.   

27 Feb

Posted at 11:30h in Author Interviews, Fertility, Heart Disease, JAMA, OBGYNE
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Shi Wu Wen PhD Senior Scientist, Clinical Epidemiology Program Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology University of Ottawa MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Previous studies have shown that having a baby as a result of using assisted procedures such as IVF nearly doubles the chance that a baby will have heart problems.

27 Feb

Posted at 11:23h in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Cognitive Issues, Social Issues
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53305" align="alignleft" width="200"]Nancy J. Donovan, M.D. Chief, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry Brigham and Women’s Hospital Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02115 Dr Donovan[/caption] Nancy J. Donovan, M.D. Chief, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry Brigham and Women’s Hospital Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02115  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Prior research has shown that widowed older adults are more likely to experience cognitive decline than those who are married. However, there have been no prior studies of widowhood as a risk factor for cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of severe cognitive impairment.

26 Feb

Posted at 01:09h in Author Interviews, Heart Disease, JACC, Women's Heart Health
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53308" align="alignleft" width="150"]Haider Aldiwani, MD Fellow in Internal Medicine Dr. Aldiwani[/caption] Haider Aldiwani, MD Fellow in Internal Medicine and [caption id="attachment_53309" align="alignleft" width="150"]C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA Director Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, 90048 Dr. Bairey Merz[/caption] C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA Director Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, 90048   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. Women are found to have a higher prevalence of ischemia but no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) compared to men. These women are often labeled as “normal” and their symptoms and cardiovascular risk are not managed appropriately. Women with INOCA are higher risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events including death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and heart failure hospitalization. Presenting symptoms of ischemia are variable and more often labelled “atypical” in women. 

25 Feb

Posted at 21:29h in Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Radiation Therapy
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53297" align="alignleft" width="133"]Jennifer Sims-Mourtada, Ph.D. Senior Rsearch Scientist Director of Translational Breast Cancer Research Center for Translational Cancer Research ChristianaCare Dr. Sims-Mourtada[/caption] Jennifer Sims-Mourtada, Ph.D. Senior Rsearch Scientist Director of Translational Breast Cancer Research Center for Translational Cancer Research ChristianaCare MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Cancer stem cells are resistant cancer cells that are able to continuously grow and are very resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. Cancer stem cells can also escape to the blood stream and travel to another site causing metastasis.

25 Feb

Posted at 18:58h in Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews, Biomarkers, Heart Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53293" align="alignleft" width="200"]Prof. Konstantinos Stellos, MD, DM, MRCP, DSc, FAHA, FESC Professor of Medicine, Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chair of Epitranscriptomics Lead, Vascular Biology & Medicine Theme Hon. Consultant Cardiologist, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Biosciences Institute Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University Prof. Stellos[/caption] Prof. Konstantinos Stellos, MD, DM, MRCP, DSc, FAHA, FESC Professor of Medicine, Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chair of Epitranscriptomics Lead, Vascular Biology & Medicine Theme Hon. Consultant Cardiologist, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Biosciences Institute Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this seminar? Can you tell us a little about how amyloid is made and stored? Response: Patients are afraid that they may die due to a heart attack - a major cause of death worldwide- or if they live long they may get dementia compromising severely their quality of life in their last years of life. Many years ago we asked the question whether there is a link between these two ageing-associated diseases. For this reason we studied the clinical value of amyloid-beta peptides in patients with coronary heart disease. We chose to study the amyloid-beta peptides, which are the cleavage product of the beta- and gamma-secretases of the mother protein amyloid precursor protein, because amyloid-beta plaques in brain is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Following amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene transcription, APP is cleaved in the nonamyloidogenic pathway (plasma membrane) by α- and γ- secretases or in the amyloidogenic pathway (endosomes) by β- and γ- secretases. The later pathway generates amyloid beta (Αβ) peptides that are released extracellularly. Αβ accumulation in blood or tissues may result from enhanced production/cleavage or by impaired degradation and/or clearance. The related mechanisms are depicted in Figure 2 of our publication in JACC: http://www.onlinejacc.org/content/75/8/952 

25 Feb

Posted at 11:52h in Annals Internal Medicine, Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Cancer Research, Mammograms
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53229" align="alignleft" width="124"]Xabier Garcia-De-Albeniz MD PhD Research Associate Department of Epidemiology Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Mongan Institute for Health Policy Massachusetts General Hospital Dr. Garcia-De-Albeniz[/caption] Xabier Garcia-De-Albeniz MD PhD Research Associate Department of Epidemiology Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Mongan Institute for Health Policy Massachusetts General Hospital  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The goal of breast cancer screening is to reduce deaths from breast cancer by finding breast cancer at early, more treatable stages. The main way to screen for breast cancer is periodic mammography, which is an x-ray of the breast that can show tumors before they are large enough to feel. High-quality studies called clinical trials have shown that screening women in their 50s and 60s decreases breast cancer deaths. However, the point at which women can safely stop screening because it no longer decreases breast cancer deaths has not been studied. More than half of women in the United States continue screening mammography after age 75 years. 

25 Feb

Posted at 11:46h in Author Interviews, Gastrointestinal Disease, JAMA, Microbiome
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Drs. R.P.J. Willems  |  Arts-onderzoeker Medische Microbiologie en Infectiepreventie Amsterdam MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Does your study refer to both PPIs and H2-blockers?  Response: There is mixed evidence on the associated risk of colonization and infection with multidrug-resistant microorganisms with acid suppressive therapy. We therefore aimed to investigate current literature in order to determine whether acid suppressants facilitate intestinal colonization with multidrug-resistant microorganisms. We included studies on PPIs, H2 blockers and antacids.

25 Feb

Posted at 02:38h in Author Interviews, Mental Health Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53285" align="alignleft" width="200"]Leonardo Christov-Moore, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Scholar Brain and Creativity Institute University of Southern California Dr. Christov-Moore[/caption] Leonardo Christov-Moore, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Scholar Brain and Creativity Institute University of Southern California MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We've known for some time that empathy has both bottom-up, affective, somatomotor components, that let us quickly feel and internally simulate other peoples' internal states, and more cognitive, top-down components through which we make conscious inferences about others' beliefs, intentions and internal states. And there is interesting work suggesting that in many cases, these components work together. In our work, we took this idea further to propose that they exist in constant interaction, with the bottom-up systems  providing information that informs the top-down processes (aiding in our inference), which in turn provide modulation and control to the bottom-up processes (modulating the extent to which we "resonate" with others based on context, affiliation, etc.). Specifically, we found that you could predict many aspects of prosocial decision-making ( a top-down task) from bottom-up and top-down systems' interaction during simple bottom-up empathy tasks (passively observing someone experience emotion or pain). This led us to hypothesize that peoples' levels of empathic concern for others are dictated by stable patterns of interaction between these systems. In the current study, we made a strong test of this hypothesis: if these empathy-predicting patterns of interaction are stable across task demands, we should be able to observe them (and predict empathic concern from them) even when the brain is not doing anything ostensibly related to empathy! So that's what we did.

24 Feb

Posted at 22:42h in Author Interviews, Cognitive Issues
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53278" align="alignleft" width="200"]Terese Sara Høj Jørgensen PhD Assistant Professor Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen Dr. Jørgense[/caption] Terese Sara Høj Jørgensen PhD Assistant Professor Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Dementia may develop as a result of both genetics and environmental exposures operating throughout the life course, and the risk of dementia may already be established early in life. Body height has a strong genetic component and is at the same time influenced by environmental factors early in life. Body height is an expression of growth early in life and a taller body height could express that the body has had an optimal development. At the same time, a shorter body height could be an indicator of harmful exposures early in life. A few smaller studies have identified a link between body height and dementia. However, rather than being a risk factor of dementia in itself, body height is likely an indicator of harmful exposures early in life and hereby linked to dementia. Body growth could furthermore be linked to dementia as an indicator of brain and cognitive reserve. Thus, to understand the relationship between body height and dementia, large scale high-quality longitudinal studies exploring the impact of early environmental factors and genetics to explain the link between body height and dementia were needed prior to this study.

24 Feb

Posted at 17:54h in Aging, Author Interviews, Cannabis, Geriatrics, JAMA, NYU/NYMC
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53242" align="alignleft" width="182"]Benjamin H. Han, MD MPH Assistant Professor Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care New York University School of Medicine Dr. Han[/caption] Benjamin H. Han, MD MPH Assistant Professor Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care New York University School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: In the past, the prevalence of cannabis use (both for recreational and for medicinal purposes) was very low among adults age 65 and older. As a reference, the national prevalence rate of past-year cannabis use among adults age 65 and older in 2006-2007 was 0.4%, it has increased dramatically since then.

24 Feb

Posted at 17:48h in Author Interviews, Education, Gender Differences, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Yale
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Katherine A. Hill, BA, BS Yale School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Previous studies have shown that mistreatment is a common and damaging experience for medical students. However, there is little research on whether the prevalence of medical student mistreatment varies by demographic factors such as student sex, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation. 

24 Feb

Posted at 15:06h in Author Interviews, Health Care Systems, Heart Disease, JAMA, Medicare
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53210" align="alignleft" width="160"]Rishi K. Wadhera, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians Dr. Wadhera[/caption] Rishi K. Wadhera, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: In recent years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has implemented nationally mandated value-based programs to incentivize hospitals to deliver higher quality care. The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), for example, has financially penalized hospitals over $2.5 billion to date for high 30-day readmission rates. In addition, the Value-Based Purchasing Program (VBP) rewards or penalizes hospitals based on their performance on multiple domains of care.  Both programs have focused on cardiovascular care. The evidence to date, however, suggests that these programs have not improved health outcomes, and there is growing concern that they may disproportionately penalize hospitals that care for sick and poor patients, rather than for poor quality care.

23 Feb

Posted at 19:08h in Author Interviews, JAMA, Surgical Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53265" align="alignleft" width="200"]Paulina Salminen MD PhD Chief and Professor of surgery Turku University, Finland Dr. Salminen[/caption] Paulina Salminen MD PhD Chief and Professor of surgery Turku University, Finland MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Appendectomy has been the standard treatment for uncomplicated acute appendicitis and currently one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures. We now know that there are two different forms of acute appendicitis: the more common milder uncomplicated acute appendicitis and the more severe complicated acute appendicitis. While the complicated form is primarily still treated surgically, in recent years evidence from randomised trials and meta-analyses show that antibiotics are a safe and efficient treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis  also at long-term follow-up. Quality of life (QOL) and patient satisfaction after antibiotic therapy or appendectomy for uncomplicated acute appendicitis have been studied previously in a pediatric population but not in an adult population. Our aim was to compare long-term quality of life and patient satisfaction after antibiotic therapy and appendectomy for the treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in patients enrolled in the original APPAC trial.

22 Feb

Posted at 21:26h in Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, Emergency Care
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Collin Tebo BA Georgetown University School of Medicine Washington, DCCollin Tebo BA Georgetown University School of Medicine Washington, DC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The growing cost of pharmaceuticals is an issue of increasing concern in the United States where a large portion of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is health care spending. During the past decade, visits to Emergency Departments (EDs) have increased considerably. Pharmaceutical drugs are utilized in the care of most patients who visit the ED therefore, rising drug prices are a concern for emergency medicine physicians, administrators, and patients throughout the US.

22 Feb

Posted at 14:08h in Author Interviews, Endocrinology, Gender Differences, Genetic Research, Science
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53255" align="alignleft" width="177"]DR. LAWRENCE C. LAYMAN CREDIT: PHIL JONES, SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY DR. LAWRENCE C. LAYMAN
CREDIT: PHIL JONES, SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY[/caption] Lawrence C. Layman, M.D. Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D., Distinguished Chair in Endocrinology Professor & Chief Section of Reproductive Endocrinology, Infertility, & Genetics Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Director, REI Fellowship Program Co-Director, MD/PhD Program Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine Department of Physiology Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: I have taken care of many transgender patients over the past 20 years. We think there is a biological basis for transgender identity rather than choice. Animal models suggest that exposure to estrogen or testosterone at a critical time during development will render an animal of either sex to behave as male with aggressive behavior and they will mount females. If this pathway is blocked, then the end result is more receptive, female sexual behavior. We thought that variants in genes involved in metabolizing these hormones in the brain could play some role in transgender identity. Because the cost of sequencing all genes was similar to the cost of looking for changes in just these genes, we performed whole exome sequencing (sequencing the protein coding regions of genes) on about 30 transgender patients.