Aging, Author Interviews, BMJ, Geriatrics, Mental Health Research / 10.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_26773" align="alignleft" width="180"]Dr. Faiza Tabassum, PhD University of Southampton, Southampton Dr. Faiza Tabassum[/caption] Dr. Faiza Tabassum, PhD Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute  University of Southampton Southampton, UK MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Previous research has shown that volunteering in older age is associated with better mental and physical health, but it’s unclear whether this extends to other age groups. We aimed to examine the association of volunteering with mental health or well-being among the British population across all ages. The British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) was used which has collected information from 1991 to 2008 from over 5000 households. The published study has analysed over 66,000 responses representing the whole of the UK. The BHPS included a wide range of questions on leisure time activities, which covered the frequency of formal volunteering—from at least once a week through to once a year or less, or never. The BHPS also included a validated proxy for mental health/emotional wellbeing known as the GHQ-12.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Psychological Science, Sexual Health / 10.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_26876" align="alignleft" width="205"]Steven Arnocky, PhD Associate Professor Department of Psychology Nipissing University North Bay, ON CAN Dr. Steven Arnocky[/caption] Steven Arnocky, PhD Associate Professor Department of Psychology Nipissing University North Bay, ON CAN  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Our work was based on previous findings from hunter-gatherer populations showing that men who hunt and share meat often enjoy greater reproductive access to women.  Research in North America has shown that individuals prefer altruistic partners, especially for long-term mating, and that there may be a sex difference in these preferences such that women exhibit this preference more strongly than men. In line with this, some research has shown that men will sometimes compete with other men in order to make charitable donations to attractive female fundraisers (termed 'competitive altruism'). Taken together, these findings led us to hypothesise that individuals (and perhaps particularly men) who behave altruistically might experience greater mating success. In Study 1, undergraduate men and women completed a self-report altruism questionnaire (items such as “I have donated blood”), a personality measure, and a sexual history survey. We found that participants who scored higher on a self-report altruism measure reported they were more desirable to the opposite sex, as well as reported having more sex partners, more casual sex partners, and having sex more often within relationships. Moreover, altruism mattered more for men’s number of lifetime and casual sex partners relative to women’s. Given the possibility that in any survey research, there is a chance individual’s may report their altruism of sexual history in what they view to be a more positive light (who doesn’t want to think of themselves as altruistic!), in Study 2, we used a behavioral measure of altruism (each participant was entered onto a draw for $100, and at the end of the survey was given the choice to keep their winnings or to donate to a charity). Participants again reported on their sexual histories, as well as completed a personality measure, a scale to capture socially-desirable responding, and a measure of narcissism. Results showed that even when controlling for these potentially confounding variables, that altruists reported having more lifetime sex partners, more casual sex partners, and more sex partners over the past year. Men who were willing to donate also reported having more lifetime dating partners.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Environmental Risks, Lung Cancer / 05.08.2016

[caption id="attachment_26722" align="alignleft" width="150"]Sandrah P. Eckel PhD Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine USC Division of Biostatistics Dr. Sandrah Eckel[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sandrah P. Eckel PhD Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine USC Division of Biostatistics MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Lung cancer is the most common cancer and it is responsible for 1 in 5 cancer deaths. There is a growing body of evidence that ambient air pollution exposures are linked to lung cancer incidence and mortality, but the effect on survival of exposures after diagnosis are unclear. The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently classified ambient air pollution as carcinogenic. We reasoned that if air pollution drives lung cancer development, it could impact lung cancer progression—and shorten survival—through the same biological pathways. We used 20 years of data on more than 300,000 newly diagnosed lung cancer cases from the California Cancer Registry and calculated average air pollution exposures at each patient’s residence from the date of diagnosis through the end of follow-up. We found that patients living in areas with higher pollution levels had shorter survival, particularly for patients who were diagnosed at an early stage and for those diagnosed at an early stage with adenocarcinoma histology. Interestingly, adenocarcinoma is the most common histological subtype of lung cancer in non-smokers.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Radiology, Thyroid / 22.07.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_26244" align="alignleft" width="148"]Megan Haymart, M.D. Assistant Professor Institute for HealthCare Policy and Innovation University of Michigan Dr. Megan Haymart[/caption] Megan Haymart, M.D. Assistant Professor Institute for HealthCare Policy and Innovation University of Michigan MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Over the past three decades the incidence of thyroid cancer has risen. The majority of this rise in incidence is secondary to an increase in low-risk disease. In the setting of this rise in low-risk thyroid cancer, our team noted that over time there was a dramatic rise in imaging after initial treatment for thyroid cancer. We subsequently wanted to understand the implications of this increase in imaging. Does more imaging equal improved outcomes? In this study published in BMJ, we found that this marked rise in imaging after primary treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer was associated with increased treatment for recurrence but with the exception of radioiodine scans in presumed iodine-avid disease, no clear improvement in disease specific survival.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Nutrition, Pediatrics / 21.07.2016

[caption id="attachment_26215" align="alignleft" width="136"]MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sharon Carstairs PhD Student, Public Health Research, Polwarth Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The introduction of solid foods is a key period when the mil diet is no longer able to meet all dietary needs, additionally it is a key time for food learning and development of eating preferences in a child’s life. It is vital that children are provided with nutritionally balanced foods as well as a variety of foods to meet dietary requirements and are exposed to different tastes and textures. Some parents provide home-cooked meals however, there is a large market of commercially available infant/toddler meals which can provide parents with a convenient alternative to home-cooking. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response: Our main findings indicate that home-cooked recipes based from infant and toddler cookbooks are a cheaper meal option and contain greater nutrient levels, such as protein, compared to commercially available infant/toddler meals. However, when we compare nutrient levels to recommendations the majority of these home-cooked recipes (50%) exceed energy density (ED) recommendations and 37% exceed dietary fat recommendations. In comparison, the majority of commercial meals (65%) meet these ED recommendations and provide a greater vegetable variety per meal however, are below the recommendations for dietary fat. MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Response: Readers need to be aware that despite providing a cheaper option with greater nutrient levels to commercial meals, the majority of home-cooked recipes from targeted cookbooks exceed recommendations for energy density and dietary fats. The majority of commercial meals in contrast meet energy density recommendations and provide greater vegetable variety per meal than home-cooked recipes however, are below recommendations for dietary fat which is an essential component in the diet of young children. MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study? Response: Our study did not investigate the micronutrient content of meals as this data was not available on commercial product labels. Furthermore, we did not investigate the inclusion of additives and preservatives within these meal types. Future work should therefore include these aspects to provide parents with a complete picture. MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Response: It is vital to remember that both home-cooked and commercial main meals incorporate only a part of the daily diet and these should be considered in the context of a whole daily diet. The inclusion of a variety of foods and textures is paramount to a child’s food learning experience and must be considered in the foods offered to young children. MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community. Citation: Bmj A comparison of preprepared commercial infant feeding meals with home-cooked recipes Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions. More Medical Research Interviews on MedicalResearch.com Sharon Carstairs[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sharon Carstairs PhD Student Public Health Research University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The introduction of solid foods is a key period when the milk diet is no longer able to meet all dietary needs, additionally it is a key time for food learning and development of eating preferences in a child’s life. It is vital that children are provided with nutritionally balanced foods as well as a variety of foods to meet dietary requirements and are exposed to different tastes and textures. Some parents provide home-cooked meals however, there is a large market of commercially available infant/toddler meals which can provide parents with a convenient alternative to home-cooking.
Author Interviews, BMJ / 06.07.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25825" align="alignleft" width="149"]Professor Tom Bourne Ph.D., FRCOG, FAIUM (hon). Adjunct Professor, Imperial College, London Visiting Professor, KU Leuven, Belgium Consultant Gynaecologist Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital Prof. Tom Bourne[/caption] Professor Tom Bourne Ph.D., FRCOG, FAIUM (hon). Adjunct Professor, Imperial College, London Visiting Professor, KU Leuven, Belgium Consultant Gynaecologist Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Previous studies had suggested that complaint investigations might be associated with psychiatric morbidity – including depression and suicide. For example in the United States, malpractice litigation has been reported to be associated with burnout, depression and suicidal ideation. We had also witnessed in our daily practice both the burden that complaints investigations have on colleagues, but also that doctors were often practicing defensive medicine to “protect themselves”. Against this background we embarked on a large survey study on doctors in the UK – with almost 8000 physicians replying to the survey. This survey contained questions relating to validated psychological instruments for depression and anxiety, new metrics for defensive practice (hedging and avoidance) as well as single item questions. We published these data in 20151. We found that recent or current complaints were associated with significant levels or anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, this was irrespective of the complaints procedure – although this was highest when it involved the main UK regulator the general medical council (GMC). Many doctors reported practising defensive medicine due to a fear of complaints – with over 80% reporting hedging and over 40% reporting avoidance. A number of recommendations were made to improve how complaints procedures might work. In the final part of the questionnaire we asked three open questions, how the complaints procedure made the doctor feel, what was the most stressful aspects of the procedure and what could be done to improve things. It is the analysis of this qualitative data that is presented in the current paper.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins, Rheumatology / 27.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25574" align="alignleft" width="146"]Laura C. Cappelli, M.D Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Dr. Laura Cappelli[/caption] Laura C. Cappelli, M.D Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: We had been referred several patients with inflammatory arthritis or dry mouth and dry eyes after being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. When searching the literature for information on how to evaluate and treat these patients, we realized that there was minimal information available. We wanted to describe our experience and inform the medical community about these events so that recognition could increase.
Alcohol, Author Interviews, BMJ, Heart Disease / 26.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25514" align="alignleft" width="126"]Dr. Gregory M. Marcus MD Associate Professor UCSF School of Medicine Dr. Gregory Marcus[/caption] Gregory M Marcus, MD, MAS, FACC, FAHA, FHRS Director of Clinical Research Division of Cardiology Endowed Professor of Atrial Fibrillation Research University of California, San Francisco MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Multiple epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that alcohol consumption likely increases the risk for atrial fibrillation and reduces the risk for myocardial infarction. However, the results have been conflicting, they generally all rely on self-report of alcohol consumption (which is known to be unreliable, particularly in those that drink more heavily), and there is almost certainly confounding related to an individual’s choice to consume alcohol (which in most settings is ubiquitously available). In addition, the relationship between alcohol and heart failure remains poorly understood, with evidence suggesting there may be both harmful and beneficial effects. Finally, the relationship between alcohol consumption and these various cardiovascular diseases (atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, and heart failure) have not been examined within the same cohort of individuals in a simultaneous fashion.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Nutrition, Prostate Cancer / 22.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25435" align="alignleft" width="100"]Dr. Ying Bao Sc.D., M.D Assistant Professor of Medicine Channing Division of Network Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA Dr. Ying Bao[/caption] Dr. Ying Bao Sc.D., M.D Assistant Professor of Medicine Channing Division of Network Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Nuts are rich in bioactive macronutrients, micronutrients, tocopherols and phytochemicals. Current epidemiological evidence has consistently linked increased nut consumption to reduced risk of several chronic conditions including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and inflammation. In contrast, evidence on nut consumption and cancer risk has been insufficient and equivocal. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among U.S. men, with approximately 220,800 new cases diagnosed in 2015. However, very few studies have investigated the association between nut intake and prostate cancer. Thus, in the current study, we followed 47,299 US men from 1986-2012, and examined (1) whether consuming more nuts prevents getting prostate cancer, and (2) whether consuming more nuts reduces death rates among non-metastatic prostate cancer patients. During 26 years of follow-up, 6,810 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 4,346 of these patients were without metastasis at diagnosis. We found no association between nut intake and being diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, among non-metastatic prostate cancer patients, those who consumed nuts 5 or more times per week after diagnosis had a significant 34% lower rate of overall mortality than those who consumed nuts less than once per month.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Pain Research / 21.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25344" align="alignleft" width="142"]Dr Alan Fayaz MA MBBS MRCP FRCA FFPMRCA Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Dr. Alan Fayaz[/caption] Dr Alan Fayaz MA MBBS MRCP FRCA FFPMRCA Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Fayaz: Despite fairly well established negative consequences of chronic pain (social, psychological, biological) very little is known about the burden of chronic pain in the United Kingdom. For example healthcare costs relating to chronic pain in the USA outstrip those of Cancer and Cardiovascular disease, and yet the profile of chronic pain (as disease in its own right) is not nearly as well established as either of those conditions. Surprisingly, prior to our study, there was little consensus regarding the prevalence of chronic pain in the UK. The purpose of our review was to synthesise existing data on the prevalence of various chronic pain phenotypes, in the United Kingdom, in order to produce accurate and contemporary national estimates.
ADHD, Author Interviews, BMJ, Heart Disease, Pediatrics / 01.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24801" align="alignleft" width="160"]Nicole Pratt PhD Senior Research Fellow Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences University of South Australia GPO Box 2471, Adelaide 5001 South Australia Dr. Nicole Pratt[/caption] Nicole Pratt PhD Senior Research Fellow Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences University of South Australia Adelaide South Australia MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Pratt: The cardiac safety of methylphenidate has been debated. This study aimed to measure the risk of cardiac events in a large population of children treated with these medicines. We found that there was a significantly raised risk of arrhythmia in time periods when children were treated with methylphenidate compared to time periods when they were not. While the relative risk of cardiac events was significant the absolute risk is likely to be low as cardiac events are rare in children.
Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, BMJ, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Nutrition / 18.05.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Lea Borgi, MD, MMSc Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Borgi:   The association of potatoes intake with the risk of developing hypertension has not been studied. In our analyses of more than 187,000 participants without a diagnosis of high blood pressure at baseline, we observed that higher intakes of boiled, baked or mashed potatoes and French fries were associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension. Indeed, when participants consumed 4 or more than 4 servings per week of boiled, baked or mashed potatoes as compared to 1 or less than one serving per month, the risk of hypertension increased by 11% (and 17% when French fries were consumed 4 or more than 4 times a week as compared to 1 or less than 1 serving per month). We also found that replacing one serving of boiled, baked or mashed potatoes per day with one serving of a non-starchy vegetable was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension.
Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, BMJ, Mental Health Research, Pediatrics / 17.05.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24425" align="alignleft" width="120"]Dr Edward Tyrrell NIHR In-Practice Research Fellow Division of Primary Care University Park Nottingham Dr. Edward Tyrrell[/caption] Dr Edward Tyrrell NIHR In-Practice Research Fellow Division of Primary Care University Park Nottingham  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Dr. Tyrrell: Poisonings are among the most common causes of death amongst adolescents across the world, many of them related to self-harm. Poisonings leading to death are just the tip of the iceberg with many more resulting in invasive treatment, time off school and long term health effects. Many adolescent self-harm episodes are linked to mental health problems, which are often predictive of mental health problems in adulthood, making adolescence a key window for preventative intervention. However, up to date rates and time trends for adolescent poisonings are lacking, hindering the development of evidence-informed policy and planning of services. To quantify this problem at a national level and provide recent time trends of poisonings, we used routinely collected primary care data from 1.3 million 10-17 year olds. We assessed how intentional, unintentional and alcohol-related poisonings for adolescent males and females vary by age, how these have changed between 1992 and 2012 and whether socioeconomic inequalities exist.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Diabetes, Genetic Research / 08.05.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24154" align="alignleft" width="150"]Wenpeng You, PhD student Biological Anthropology and Comparative Anatomy Research Unit University of Adelaide | School of Medicine Adelaide, Australia Wenpeng You[/caption] Wenpeng You, PhD student Biological Anthropology and Comparative Anatomy Research Unit University of Adelaide | School of Medicine Adelaide, Australia  [caption id="attachment_24262" align="alignleft" width="180"]Maciej Henneberg, PhD, DSc, FAIBiol Wood Jones Professor of Anthropological and Comparative Anatomy University of Adelaide | School of Medicine Adelaide, Australia Institute for Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich Editor in Chief, Journal of Comparative Human Biology HOMO Dr. Maciej Henneberg[/caption] Maciej Henneberg, PhD, DSc, FAIBiol Wood Jones Professor of Anthropological and Comparative Anatomy University of Adelaide School of Medicine; Institute for Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich Editor in Chief, Journal of Comparative Human Biology HOMO MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Type 1 diabetes disease has very strong genetic background. Prevalence of type 1 diabetes has been increasing globally. Previous studies focusing on regional genetics and environmental factors cannot fully explain this phenomenon. Due to insufficient medical knowledge up until early 20th century, people with type 1 diabetes disease would most commonly die during their teens or early 20s. Therefore, they did not have the opportunity to pass on their genes providing background for the development of type 1 diabetes to their next generations. Since discovery and introduction of insulin to modern medicine in early 1920s, more and more type 1 diabetes patients have been able to survive their reproduction cycle (up until and past 50 years of age). This has made more and more genes related to type 1 diabetes to accumulate in human populations. We applied the Biological State Index which measures a probability to pass genes on to the next generation at population level.  We found that the rapid increase in type 1 diabetes over the last few decades was correlated with increases of the Biological State Index and its proxy, human life expectancy, especially in more developed world in which natural selection has been relaxed most. This correlation was found after statistically excluding differences in countries income, levels of urbanization, sugar consumption and obesity prevalence.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Weight Research / 06.05.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24099" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dagfinn Aune Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics School of Public Health Imperial College London St. Mary's Campus Norfolk Place, Paddington, London Dagfinn Anne[/caption] Dagfinn Aune Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics School of Public Health Imperial College London St. Mary's Campus Norfolk Place, Paddington, London MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased rapidly over the past decades in all areas of the world. This has raised serious public health concerns because of the relationship between excess weight and increased risk of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, and several other conditions as well as all-cause mortality. Body mass index (BMI) is an established way of measuring adiposity and is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms with the height in metres squared. Although overweight (BMI 25-29.9) and obesity (BMI ≥30) has been associated with increased risk of mortality in several previous studies, the largest previous study showed that when compared to normal weight, overweight was associated with reduced mortality, and only grade 2 obesity (BMI ≥35) was associated with increased risk of mortality. However, there were several limitations in that study, for example, smoking and prevalent or prediagnostic illness were not taken into account, both of which can cause lower body weight and increased mortality and may therefore bias the optimal BMI range upwards. In addition, many large studies which did not use the standard WHO categories of normal weight, overweight and obesity, but had used smaller increments to categorize BMI to provide more detailed assessment of the dose-response relationship between BMI and mortality, had been excluded. 
Author Interviews, BMJ, Johns Hopkins, Outcomes & Safety / 05.05.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24109" align="alignleft" width="142"]Michael Daniel The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine M.D. Candidate 2016 Michael Daniel[/caption] Michael Daniel The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine M.D. Candidate 2016 Michael G. Daniel is a graduating medical student at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He will be attending the Osler Internal Medicine Residency Training Program next year at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. His research focus is on Patient Safety, Quality, and Outcomes improvement. Summary: Medical error ranks as the third leading cause of death in the United States, but is not recognized in national vital statistics because of a flawed reporting process. Using recent studies on preventable medical error and extrapolating the results to the 2013 U.S. hospital admissions we calculated a mortality rate or 251,454 deaths per year. MedicalResearch.com: What made you want to research this topic? Response: I decided to study medicine because I wanted to improve patient health. However, I realized that improving patient health is not only about curing a disease but is sometimes about fixing the way we deliver healthcare. MedicalResearch.com: Is this news surprising to you? Response: Yes, because all previous estimates of medical error were much lower and when I started the research I couldn’t use the CDC statistics to get current data.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Heart Disease, Pediatrics / 25.04.2016

[caption id="attachment_23741" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr-Hans-Van-Brabandt Dr. Hans Van Brabandt[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Hans Van Brabandt, M.D. Brussel, Belgium MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Dr. Van Brabandt: We have been asked by the Belgian government to assess the benefits and harms of pre-participation screening of young athletes. A number of Belgian cardiologists and screening physicians are intensely promoting such screening through mass media and were asking governmental support. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Dr. Van Brabandt:  There is no solid evidence on the benefit of cardiovascular pre-participation screening, and certainty of harms it induces through numerous false-positives, making that such screening in young athletes cannot be defended. -          Italian investigators assert they have provided evidence for the benefit of screening. The single study on which they base their claim however is far from convincing. Unfortunately, more than 10 years after their first paper, they still did not make the majority of their data publicly available.
Author Interviews, BMJ, OBGYNE / 21.04.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_23665" align="alignleft" width="142"]Joel Ray, MD MSc FRCPC Clinician-Scientist St. Michael’s Hospital Toronto, ON Dr. Joel Ray[/caption] Joel Ray, MD MSc FRCPC Clinician-Scientist St. Michael’s Hospital Toronto, ON MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Ray:
  • Clinical practice guidelines strongly recommend that physicians and midwives start aspirin before 20 weeks gestation in a woman at high risk of preeclampsia (PE).
  • However, these guidelines do not provide a systematic approach for identifying a woman at high risk of pre-eclampsia (PE), using readily available clinical risk factors (RFs) known before 20 weeks gestation.
  • Thus, there is a need for a clear, concise and evidence-based list of risk factors that clinicians can use, before 20 weeks gestation, to estimate a woman’s risk of pre-eclampsia.
  • We systemically analyzed large cohort studies and estimates of the absolute pooled risk of developing pre-eclampsia in the presence vs. absence of one of 14 common risk factors.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Heart Disease, Social Issues, Stroke / 20.04.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_23586" align="alignleft" width="133"]Nicole Valtorta NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow Department of Health Sciences University of York, UK Nicole Valtorta[/caption] Nicole Valtorta NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow Department of Health Sciences University of York, UK Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Lonely and socially isolated adults are at increased risk of mortality. The influence of social relationships on morbidity is widely accepted, but the size of the risk to cardiovascular health is unclear. We systematically reviewed the evidence from prospective cohort studies to investigate the association between loneliness or social isolation and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. We identified 23 papers reporting data from 16 longitudinal datasets, for a total of 4,628 CHD and 3,002 stroke events. Reports of eleven studies (CHD) and eight studies (stroke) provided data suitable for meta-analyses, the results of which indicated that deficiencies in social relationships are associated with an increased risk of developing CHD and stroke. People who were lonely or isolated had, on average, a 29% greater risk of incident CHD; similarly, the risk of developing stroke was 32% greater among isolated individuals.
Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, BMJ, Radiology, Zika / 14.04.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_23445" align="alignleft" width="300"]Team of Doctors Brazil - Article BJM - Zika - Ana van Der Linden, Alessandra Brainer, Maria de Fatima Aragao, Vanessa va Der Linden e Arthur Cesário.jpg Team of Doctors:  Ana van Der Linden, Alessandra Brainer, Maria de Fatima Aragao, Vanessa va Der Linden e Arthur Cesário[/caption] Maria de Fatima Vasco Aragao MD, PhD Radiologist and Neuroradiologist Professor of Radiology, Mauricio de Nassau University, Recife, Brazil Scientific Director of Multimagem Radiology Clinic, Recife - PE, Brazil President of Pernambuco Radiology Society MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The new Zika virus epidemic in Brazil was recognized as starting in the first half of 2015 and the microcephaly epidemic was detected in the second half of that same year. [caption id="attachment_23410" align="alignleft" width="300"]This is a transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Zika virus, which is a member of the family Flaviviridae. Virus particles are 40 nm in diameter, with an outer envelope, and an inner dense core. This is a transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Zika virus, which is a member of the family Flaviviridae. Virus particles are 40 nm in diameter, with an outer envelope, and an inner dense core.[/caption] MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
  • Response:  In our study of the 23 mothers, only one did not report rash during pregnancy (rash is a sign that can happen in Zika virus infection). However, Zika virus infection can be asymptomatic in three of every four infected patients. All of the 23 babies had the same clinical and epidemiological characteristics and other congenital infection diseases had been excluded. Of these 23 babies, six were tested for IgM antibodies, specific to Zika virus and all six proved positive. So, by deduction, the other 17 babies on whom it was not possible to make the IgM test, were considered as also having presumed congenital infection related to the Zika virus, after other congenital infections being excluded.
  • All the babies showed malformations of cortical development and sulcation.  The most frequent cortical malformation were: Microcephaly with a simplified cortical gyral pattern and areas of thick cortex of polymicrogyria or pachygyria which were located predominantly in the frontal lobes.
  • Abnormalities of the corpus callósum (hypogenesis and hypoplasia) were common.
  • Decreased brain volume was a common finding. Ventriculomegaly was present in all the babies, with a predominant enlargement of the posterior portions of the lateral ventricles,
  • Delayed myelination were also common. The cisterna magna was enlarged in most of the cases, with or without cerebellar hypoplasia.
  • Some of the babies showed a symmetrical enlargement of the anterior subarachnoid space of the supratentorial compartment, associated with severe ventriculomegaly.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Cancer Research, Education / 08.04.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Alex Ghanouni Research Associate UCL Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health Health Behaviour Research Centre London MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Ghanouni: This study comes out of growing concern among academics, doctors, and policymakers about the unintended harms of healthcare interventions. One prominent issue in the ongoing debate is ‘overdiagnosis’, that is detection of disease that would not have caused symptoms or death if it had remained undetected. There are many contexts in which overdiagnosis can occur but one of the most prominent is cancer screening, in which asymptomatic individuals undergoing testing may have slow-growing cancers detected that would never have otherwise come to light. However, because it is impossible to be sure which cancers are slow-growing and which are aggressive, most are treated. This means that overdiagnosis can lead to harm through the anxiety caused by a disease label and the negative effects of treatment (e.g. surgery) that is actually unnecessary. Despite professional concern about overdiagnosis, previous research has found that the public is mostly unaware that it exists. One study that was particularly relevant to our research was an Australian survey in which members of the public were asked whether they had encountered the term before and what they thought it meant. Although around half the sample stated that they had heard or seen the term before, only 41% were able to provide a definition that was approximately correct. We tested the extent to which this was true as part of an online survey of adults aged 50-70 years in the UK. We found that recognition of the term was very low (only 30%) and almost no-one (3%) gave an answer that was strictly accurate. Responses often indicated misconceptions (e.g. “misdiagnosis”, “false positive diagnosis”, or being “overly health conscious”).
Author Interviews, BMJ, Heart Disease, Social Issues / 07.04.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Simon Graff Department of Public Health Aarhus University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Dr. Graff: We knew that a substantial amount of evidence have accumulated, linking our mental wellbeing to our body. With that in mind we wanted to examine one of the (if not the most) most stressful life event; the loss of a partner! Former studies have ranked bereavement of a life partner as the most stressful life event we humans can experience. Our study reports that spousal bereavement is followed by a transiently increased risk of new onset of atrial fibrillation (AF). The risk was highest 8-14 days after the loss and remains elevated for one year.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Cannabis, OBGYNE, Pediatrics / 06.04.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_23192" align="alignleft" width="192"]Cara Christ, M.D., M.S. Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services Dr. Cara Christ[/caption] Cara Christ, M.D., M.S. Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Christ: This study was a systematic review. The purpose of a systematic review is to critically assess and summarize the best available research evidence on a specific issue. This usually involves a critical synthesis of the results of several high quality studies on the issue under review. Overall, this review found that infants exposed to cannabis during pregnancy had a 77% higher likelihood of being underweight (<2500grams) at birth, compared to infants whose mothers did not use cannabis. Also, if the mother used cannabis during pregnancy, the likelihood of her infant needing to be placed in a neonatal intensive care unit was two times higher compared to those infants whose mothers did not use cannabis during pregnancy.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Karolinski Institute, Mental Health Research, Schizophrenia / 16.03.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_22721" align="alignleft" width="159"]Dr. Anna-Clara Hollander Dr. Anna Clara Hollander[/caption] Anna-Clara Hollander PhD Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: The humanitarian crises in Europe, the Middle East, north Africa, and central Asia have led to more displaced people, asylum seekers, and refugees worldwide than at any time since the second world war. Refugees are known to be at an increased risk of mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and other common mental disorders, compared to non-refugee migrants, but little is known about their risk of psychosis. The aim of the study was to determine the risk of schizophrenia and other non-affective psychotic disorders among refugees, compared to non-refugee migrants, and the general Swedish population. We used a linked national register data to examine more than 1.3 million people in Sweden, and tracked diagnoses of non-affective psychotic disorders among the population. The cohort included people born to two Swedish-born parents, refugees, and non-refugee migrants from the four major refugee generating regions: the Middle East and north Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia. Results showed 3,704 cases of non-affective psychotic disorders during the 8.9 million person years of follow up. Refugees granted asylum were on average 66% more likely to develop schizophrenia or another non-affective psychotic disorder than non-refugee migrants. In addition, they were up to 3.6 times more likely to do so than the Swedish-born population. Incidence rates for non-affective psychosis were 385 per million in those born in Sweden, 804 per million in non-refugee migrants, and 1264 per million in refugees. The increased rate in refugees was significant for all areas of origin except sub-Saharan Africa, for whom rates in both groups were similarly high relative to the Swedish-born population. One possible explanation is that a larger proportion of sub-Saharan Africa immigrants will have been exposed to deleterious psychosocial adversities before emigration, irrespective of refugee status. Alternatively post-migratory factors, such as discrimination, racism, and social exclusion may explain these high rates. Overall, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that increased risk of non-affective psychotic disorders among immigrants is due to a higher frequency of exposure to social adversity before migration, including the effects of war, violence, or persecution.
Author Interviews, BMJ / 15.03.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_22661" align="alignleft" width="100"]Sílvia Mamede, MD, PhD Associate professor Institute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands Dr. Silvia Mamede[/caption] Sílvia Mamede, MD, PhD Associate professor Institute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Mamede: Doctors are often engaged in clinical encounters that are emotionally charged. Patients who feel anxious about their problems often respond emotionally in their interaction with their doctors. Most of these encounters fall within the limits of what is to be expected in clinical practice, but some patients behave in ways that make the doctor-patient interaction particularly distressing. Aggressive or disrespectful patients, frequent demanders, patients who don’t trust their doctors’ competence or ever-helpless patients are known, in the medical literature, as “difficult patients”. Doctors have reported to encounter these so-called “difficult patients” in around 15% of the outpatient consultations. As it might be expected, these patients’ behaviors provoke emotional reactions in doctors. The potential negative effect of these reactions on the doctor’s diagnostic accuracy has long been discussed in the medical literature. However, there was no empirical evidence that this happened. We conducted two studies to fill this gap. In the two studies, doctors diagnosed clinical cases that were exactly the same except for the patient’s behaviors. In the first study, we used complex and simple cases. Even though the cases were the same, doctors made 42% more mistakes in disruptive than in non-disruptive patients when the cases were complex, and 6% more mistakes when the cases were simple. In the second study, we used cases deemed to be at an intermediate level of complexity. Doctors made 20% more mistakes in difficult compared to neutral patients. These findings show that disruptive behaviors displayed by patients seem to affect doctors’ reasoning and induce them to make diagnostic errors. The findings of our second study suggest that disruptive behaviors “capture” the doctor’s attention at the expense of attention for the clinically relevant information. We came to this conclusion because when asked to recall the information from a case afterwards, doctors who were confronted with a difficult patient remember more information about the patient’s behaviors and less information of the clinically relevant symptoms than doctors confronted with the natural version of the same patient. Recall of information is considered a measure of the amount of attention given to such information.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Gender Differences / 14.03.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_22647" align="alignleft" width="137"]Giovanni Filardo, PhD, MPH Director of Epidemiology, Office of the CQO, Baylor Scott & White Health Briget da Graca, JD, MSSenior Medical Writer, Center for Clinical Effectiveness, Office of the CQO, Baylor Scott & White Health Dallas, Texas Dr. Giovanni Filardo[/caption] Giovanni Filardo, PhD, MPH Director of Epidemiology, Office of the CQO, Baylor Scott & White Health Briget da Graca, JD, MSSenior Medical Writer Center for Clinical Effectiveness Office of the CQO Baylor Scott & White Health Dallas, Texas MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Filardo: While there are readily available, up-to-date data on the proportion of medical school applicants, graduates, and member of faculty women constitute, no similar information is routinely collected and shared about women’s participation in and leadership of medical research studies. The previous studies looking at this issue were conducted in 2004, and were limited to investigating the proportion of women among the first authors with MD degrees and with institutional affiliations in the United States or United Kingdom. The time was therefore ripe for an updated, rigorous, and comprehensive examination of first authorship in high impact medical journals. We examined female first authorship of original research articles published over the past 20 years in the 6 general medical journals with the highest impact factors: Annals of Internal Medicine (Annals), Archives of Internal Medicine (Archives), The BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal), Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). After adjusting for differences over time and between journals related to different prioritisation of studies according to type, topic/specialty, country in which the research was conducted, or number of listed authors, we found that female first authorship increased overall from 27% in 1994 to 37% in 2014, but had plateaued – and in the cases of The BMJ and NEJM – declined in the last 5 years. Our results also revealed significant differences in female first authorship between journals.
Author Interviews, BMJ, Pediatrics / 14.03.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ashley Bryce, NIHR PhD student Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol (first author) Dr Céire Costelloe NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare associated infections and AMR, Imperial College London (senior author)  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Antimicrobial resistance is an internationally recognised threat to health. Previous antibiotic use has been shown to be a risk factor for antimicrobial resistance in adults. The contribution of primary healthcare is particularly important as this is where almost 80% of all antibiotics used within the health service are prescribed. Children receive a lot of primary healthcare services and, as such, receive a disproportionately high number of antibiotics compared with middle aged populations. Despite this, little research has been published describing the prevalence of bacterial resistance in children or the risk factors of importance in this group. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response: Prevalence of resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics in primary care in children with urinary tract infections caused by E coli is high, particularly in countries outside the OECD, where one possible explanation is the availability of antibiotics over the counter. This could render some antibiotics ineffective as first line treatments for urinary tract infection. Routine use of antibiotics in primary care contributes to antimicrobial resistance in children, which can persist for up to six months after treatment.