After body contouring, bariatric surgery patients regain more weight than non-bariatric patients

Patients with previous bariatric surgery who undergo body contouring (BC) regain more weight at long-term follow-up, compared to BC patients who did not have bariatric surgery, reports a study in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Study Reveals Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 Faced Nearly Twice the Rates of Death After Discharge As Patients with Flu

Researchers demonstrate that among individuals who were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 and were discharged alive, the risk of post-discharge death was nearly twice that observed in those who were discharged alive from an influenza-related hospital admission.

First-of-its-Kind Study Examines the Impact of Cannabis Use on Surgical Patients’ Post-Procedure Healthcare Needs

In patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery in Boston between 2008 and 2020, those with a diagnosed cannabis use disorder more often required advanced postprocedural healthcare compared to non-users. However, patients whose use of cannabis was not classified as a disorder had lower odds of requiring advanced healthcare after surgery compared to patients who never use cannabis.

Patients Believe in Psychotherapy More When Practitioners Demonstrate Warmth and Competence 

Therapy is a collaborative process informed not just by a practitioner’s expertise but also by the patient’s expectations about that expertise and how likely they are to benefit from it. Research in Clinical Psychological Science suggests that therapists who demonstrate both warmth and competence can shape those expectations by inspiring more positive beliefs about the effectiveness of therapy.

Asian American / Pacific Islander Nurses Association and JMIR Publications Announce New Partnership to Publish Asian / Pacific Island Nursing Journal

Dr. Gunther Eysenbach, founder and CEO of JMIR Publications, says,

“Asian / Pacific Island Nursing Journal is an important addition to what we can offer as a publisher. I am thrilled to support the important voices and issues highlighted in the journal, and look forward to working with the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board to propel the title to the forefront of research on health disparities in minority patients.”

High risk of divorce after TBI? Not necessarily, study suggests

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has a major impact on the lives of affected patients and families. But it doesn’t necessarily lead to an increased risk of marital instability, as two-thirds of patients with TBI are still married to the same partner 10 years after their injury, reports a study in the July/August issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (JHTR). The official journal of the Brain Injury Association of America, JHTR is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Study: Race Made No Difference in ICU Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients

In a study that looked at racial differences in outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit, researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found that patients of color had a lower 28-day mortality than white patients.

Race, however, was not a factor in overall hospital mortality, length of stay in the ICU or in the rate of patients placed on mechanical ventilation, researchers said.

The findings, published in Critical Care Medicine, are believed to be one of the first in the United States to study racial differences and outcomes specific to patients hospitalized in the ICU with COVID-19.

American College of Surgeons verifies first hospital that meets its standardized quality criteria for geriatric surgery

The American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification Program (ACS GSV) has announced that Unity Hospital, Rochester, N.Y., has achieved Level 1—Comprehensive Excellence verification status, which recognizes its commitment to providing optimal care for its older adult surgical patients by meeting the GSV’s program standards.

New Study Reveals 75% of Multiple Sclerosis Patients Face Financial Toxicity

A new study from Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute finds that over ¾ of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients face financial toxicity that often results in non-adherence to follow up care. This Multiple Sclerosis Journal study is the first of its kind to evaluate financial toxicity in MS patients and whether financial hardship is linked to patients foregoing the therapy and imaging follow-up prescribed in their treatment plan.

Yoga, Tai Chi, and Meditation Bring Specific Benefits for Veterans

Three popular complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies – yoga, tai chi, and meditation – lead to significant improvements in key outcomes perceived by Veterans receiving care in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) system, suggests a study in a special September supplement to Medical Care. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Genetics Researchers Find Easy Way to Improve Cancer Outcomes

By mining a vast trove of genetic data,researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine are enhancing doctors’ ability to treat cancer, predict patient outcomes and determine which treatments will work best for individual patients. The researchers have identified inherited variations in our genes that affect how well a patient will do after diagnosis and during treatment.

Artificial Intelligence Tool Predicts Life Expectancy in Heart Failure Patients

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, as well as a diverse team of cardiologists and physicists, developed a machine learning algorithm to predict the life expectancy in heart failure patients.

Retrospective study suggests emergency department physicians are improving both outcomes and efficiency of care

In a new study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, a team of researchers led by Laura Burke, MD, MPH, an emergency medicine physician at BIDMC, found that among Medicare beneficiaries receiving ED care in the United States, mortality within 30 days of an ED visit has declined in recent years, particularly for the highest-severity patients.