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Sports-Related Concussion
Media coverage of professional athletes experiencing irreversible damage after repeated brain trauma and of the underreported rates and risks of pediatric concussion have heightened awareness surrounding head injury in sports and recreation. Concussion is now known to be a significant public health issue, with high rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Much of the current concern surrounding concussions revolves around recognition, early diagnosis, treatment modalities, return-to-play, and prevention of recurrent concussions.
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Predicting the Progression of Chronic Aortic Regurgitation
A large database observational study of patients with chronic aortic mild or moderate regurgitation (AR) largely due to bicuspid aortic valve or aortic root dilatation showed that it was largely an indolent disease, with only 20% progressing to moderately severe AR in five years.
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Perioperative Management of Direct Oral Anticoagulants
A simple protocol for managing atrial fibrillation patients on direct oral anticoagulants perioperatively was shown to produce low levels of major bleeding and thromboembolism for 30 days postoperatively.
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CRT Nonresponders Experience Poor Outcomes, Warrant More Aggressive Management
The ADVANCE CRT registry revealed a significant minority of patients fail to respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy, conferring a worse prognosis.
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Is the Physical Exam an Anachronism in Heart Failure?
In the PARADIGM-HF trial, signs of congestion during physical exam were related to outcomes and the improved outcomes observed with valsartan/sacubitril vs. enalapril.
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CABG vs. PCI for Left Main Disease at 5 Years
Five years after randomizing 1,905 patients with left main disease to coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention, researchers found no significant difference in the primary composite outcome of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction.
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The Affordable Care Act: Progress in Reducing the Rate of Unintended Pregnancy
Data from the latest release of the National Survey of Family Growth supports that the contraception coverage mandate of the Affordable Care Act has resulted in a decrease in the incidence of unintended pregnancy, particularly among women with government coverage.
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PARP Inhibitors: An Adjunct to Initial Standard Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Cancer Patients
The PRIMA study is a randomized, double-blind, multi-institutional, international phase 3 trial testing the PARP inhibitor niraparib against placebo after first-line standard treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer.
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Influenza and Pertussis Vaccines for Pregnant Women: Are We Doing Enough to Encourage Vaccination?
In this cross-sectional analysis, pregnant women disproportionately accounted for 24-34% of influenza-associated hospitalizations among women aged 15 to 44 years, and infants younger than 2 months of age comprised the highest proportion of pertussis deaths. The reasons why pregnant women did not elect recommended immunizations included not believing they were effective, not knowing they should receive Tdap every pregnancy, and being concerned that the vaccines would harm the fetus.
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News From the WHI: Soft Drink Consumption and Bone Health
Participants from the Women’s Health Initiative study who reported consumption of more than two soft drinks per day showed a higher incidence of hip fracture compared to those consuming no soft drinks.