December 15, 2017

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for December 15, 2017

By Karl Oestreich

 

 

 


New York Times
, Sleep vs. Exercise? by Karen Weintraub — Desiree Ahrens, a certified health and wellness coach at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said that for the time-starved, there are ways to sneak exercise into the day without heading to the gym or a formal exercise class. Running up the stairs in your house provides just as much exercise as a workout on a stairclimber, she noted. Workouts can also be broken down into small chunks of activity throughout the day. “Be a little more creative with the workouts,” she suggested. Also, if you have young children at home, it’s O.K. to acknowledge that these may not be the most workout-intensive years of your life, Ms. Ahrens said. No need to catastrophize and worry you’ll never exercise again. Additional coverage: Globe and Mail

New York Times, Treating Anxiety in Children by Perri Klass, M.D. — “We included panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder and separation anxiety,” said the lead author, Zhen Wang, an associate professor of health services research at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (they did not include children with post-traumatic stress disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder). The study looked at the effectiveness of treatments in reducing the symptoms of anxiety, and at ending the anxiety disorder state. And they also looked at any reports of adverse events associated with the treatments, from sleep disturbances to suicide. The authors examined 115 different studies, for a total of 7,719 patients, and concluded that certain kinds of antidepressant medications — especially the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or S.S.R.I.s — were effective in reducing anxiety symptoms in children; the mean age of the children in the study was 9.2 years, with a range of 5 to 16. Additional coverage: WTTW Chicago Tonight

New York Times, Minnesota's Next Senator: Quiet Organizer Came Late to Power — The online news website MinnPost reported that Smith met with Walter Mondale before she took the job, interested in learning how he transformed the position of vice president into a more responsible position under President Jimmy Carter. Her current duties include overseeing the Destination Medical Center initiative, a public-private partnership involving the Mayo Clinic in Rochester that backers say will create 35,000 to 45,000 new jobs in southeastern Minnesota and attract more than $5 billion in private investment. She also led state officials and agricultural leaders on a trade mission to Cuba in June in an effort to find new markets for Minnesota crops and poultry.

Washington Post, 2 new studies show that even light activity is healthier than previously thought by Amby Burfoot — As if you needed another reason to make fitness your New Year’s resolution: Two recent mortality studies have produced evidence that exercise — even light activity such as vacuuming or walking the dog — is even healthier than previously believed…An independent expert not connected to the new research, Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, said, “Both papers show very important findings. When we assess the protective effects of physical activity and exercise using objective methods, the benefit is larger than we had thought.” Lopez-Jimenez is chair of the division of preventive cardiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he’s also research director of the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center.

NBC News, New estimate says 46 million Americans headed to Alzheimer’s by Maggie Fox — For the unusual study, Ron Brookmeyer, a biostatistician at the University of California, Los Angeles and colleagues collected all the data they could find from studies of Alzheimer’s disease. To calculate who was at risk of Alzheimer’s they used measures including a buildup of a protein in the brain called amyloid, the loss of brain cells, and the loss of memory and skills such as reading and writing. They used other studies including a look at 1,500 volunteers who live around the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, which included healthy people who have no particular risk of Alzheimer’s.

Chicago Tribune, Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Cough that lasts may be sign of underlying problem by Kaiser Lim M.D. — DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What could cause a cough that lasts for months? I take antihistamine tablets and use nasal saline spray, but still cough throughout the day and at night. ANSWER: Coughing is a normal reaction to irritants in your respiratory system. Coughing forcefully expels foreign bodies, mucus and other irritants, such as pollution, from your throat and clears them from your airway.

Chicago Tribune, Go ahead, pick that scab — It turns out that the best treatment may be to allow the wounds to remain moist and covered for at least five days so that blood vessels can regenerate faster. The number of cells that cause inflammation drops more rapidly in covered wounds than in wounds allowed to air out. Dr. Mark D.P. Davis, a professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told The New York Times another common mistake is applying antibiotic ointments. They may keep the wound moist, he said, but they also can lead to swelling and cause allergic reactions. He said that Vaseline (yes, Vaseline) works just fine.

Chicago Tribune, Brace yourself after torn foot tendon — Q: I was recently diagnosed with a torn tendon in my right foot. An orthopedic surgeon has recommended surgery, but I understand the recovery is difficult. As I live alone, I would have to go to a nursing home, and then I would be on crutches for four to six weeks. Another surgeon recommended a brace for four to five months to see if the tendon heals. Do I have options other than surgery if the tendon does not heal? A: Your foot contains many tendons -- the thick, fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone. You don't say which one you've torn. But, the tendon that commonly causes problems in a person's foot is the posterior tibial tendon…Keep in mind, though, that surgery isn't required, even if the tendon doesn't heal. Most people can wear a brace long term without causing complications or further damage to the tendon.— Norman Turner III, MD, orthopedic surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Chicago Tribune, Steps can be taken to relieve or prevent night leg cramps — DEAR MAYO CLINIC: As I've gotten older, I seem to get leg cramps at night more frequently. Is there anything I can do once it begins, or do I just have to wait it out? Are there ways to prevent them from occurring in the first place? ANSWER: Anyone who's ever woken up with a leg cramp knows how painful it can be when one of their muscles suddenly contracts. Night leg cramps typically involve calf muscles. Yet, it's possible to get these cramps in the feet or thighs, as well. — Paul Takahashi, M.D., Primary Care Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

CNN, Girl has blunt message for Aetna after her brain surgery request was denied by Wayne Drash — Cara Pressman sobbed in the big red chair in her living room. The 15-year-old tried to absorb the devastating news relayed by her parents: that their insurance company, Aetna, denied her for a minimally invasive brain surgery that could end the seizures that have haunted her since she was 9 years old. "When my parents told me, I went kind of blank and started crying," she said. "I cried for like an hour."… Dr. Jamie Van Gompel, a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic, disputes Aetna's assessment. He is not involved in Cara's care nor Rittereiser's treatment, but he said Aetna's assessment is wrong. "I would not call it experimental at all," said Van Gompel, who is leading a clinical trial on the surgery at Mayo as part of a larger national study. "It's definitely not an experimental procedure. There've been thousands of patients treated with it. It's FDA-approved. There's a lot of data out there to suggest it's effective for epilepsy." Additional coverage: WTVR, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WTVA

ABC News, Can digital assistants answer questions about sex? by Joshua Yap, M.D. — …The findings may become increasingly relevant as more people incorporate digital assistants into their lives. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly half of American adults currently use digital assistants. Each researcher asked the same set of 50 sexual health questions based on the U.K. National Health Service’s website and took the best out of three answers. The best answers came from sources endorsed by government and expert medical organizations like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Planned Parenthood and the Mayo Clinic.

STAT, A health care paradox: measuring and reporting quality has become a barrier to improving it by Jerry Penso — The 74 respondents, most representing multispecialty medical groups and integrated delivery systems with 50 to 1,000 physicians, cited several data-related obstacles to the transition to value-based care, including: the lack of access to administrative claims data from payers; data that are not actionable even if they are available; and complying with requirements to submit and receive data in different formats from different payers. Sharon R. Gabrielson, chair of Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions, has noted that Mayo is required routinely to report hundreds of different quality metrics in multiple formats to various public and private payers. A report in Health Affairs found that physicians in four common specialties spent $15.4 billion in 2015 reporting quality measures. A related survey of 23 health insurers found that they used 546 provider quality measures, few of which matched across insurers or with the 1,700 measures used by federal agencies.

Business Insider, Harvey Weinstein reportedly injected erectile dysfunction drugs into his penishere's what those are by Hilary Brueck — Weinstein reportedly used a penile injection called Caverject, which has a better success rate than Viagra. Dr. Landon Trost, head of andrology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota told Business Insider that even “men who have their nerves cut out” can use these injections to get an erection, because unlike a pill, it’s inserting chemicals into the penis to relax muscles directly. Studies suggest injections work, and quickly, for about 70-80% of the men who use the ultra-fine needle treatment. Since every body is a little different, the Mayo Clinic says the injections are dosed on a case by case basis, ideally, “to create an erection lasting no longer than an hour.”

Men’s Health, Here's Why Your Shoulder Hurts So Damn Bad When You Lift by Emily Schiffer — An injury to your rotator cuff, a group of four muscles and tendons that keeps your shoulder’s ball joint centered on its socket joint. Its primary function is to help initiate movements of larger muscles, like your deltoids, says Christopher Camp, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic. It helps you rotate and raise your arm..."It is critical for weightlifting enthusiasts to know that any pain in the shoulder is not normal, especially acute pain that occurs after a single lift," says Dr. Camp. That means any pain that rears up after something specific—say, a lateral raise or shoulder press—could be signaling an injury to your rotator cuff.

US News & World Report, Genes Start Mutating Soon After Life Begins, Study Finds — Hundreds of minor genetic mutations start to form in the cells of an embryo soon after conception, researchers have discovered. The Yale University and Mayo Clinic scientists said that many of these mutations occur as sex cells are forming in the embryo. That means they can become part of the embryo's genome and be passed on to the next generation.

SELF, When to See a Doctor About That Incredibly Frustrating Stiff Neck by Zahra Barnes — Your neck is mostly comprised of seven interlocking bones (vertebrae), with space behind them for your spinal cord. If you love pastries, rejoice in the fact that you basically always have some on you: the Mayo Clinic describes each cushiony disc between your vertebrae as being “a little like a jelly donut, with a softer center encased within a tougher exterior.” Your vertebrae are also attached to ligaments and tendons that connect them to other structures, including your muscles. All of this together helps you balance your head on your shoulders.

SELF, 14 Signs Your Stomach Pain Is Actually a Gallbladder Attack by Korin Miller — Gallstones are little deposits of hardened digestive fluid that can range in size from a speck of sand to a golf ball, per the Mayo Clinic. If you have gallstones, when your gallbladder contracts to try to push bile out, the deposits can get wedged inside the duct that goes to the small intestine… Fun (and disgusting fact): They’re typically yellow, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Men’s Health, 4 Simple Changes That Will Make Your Cold-Weather Workout More Enjoyable by Emily Abbate — In the summer months, you may as well look like you took a shower with your clothes on four minutes into your run. But in the winter? That’s not always the case… Even without exercise, the Mayo Clinic recommends guys drink three liters of water daily. If you don't feel the urge to drink, try setting your alarm to take a sip of something every 15 to 30 minutes based on how long you're active. Going for longer than an hour? Try adding some electrolytes.

HealthDay, Get Active, Beat Lymphoma? by Robert Preidt — Physical activity appears to help people with lymphoma survive their disease. That finding comes from a new study by Mayo Clinic researchers of nearly 4,100 people with lymphoma, a cancer that starts in the white blood cells that normally help fight infection. "As physicians, we recommend physical activity for all cancer survivors to improve overall quality of life, but we did not know if physical activity would have an impact on survival in lymphoma patients," said study author Dr. Priyanka Pophali, a hematologist at Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: WebMD, US News & World Report, UPI.com

HealthDay, Postmenopausal Women Should Still Steer Clear of HRT: Task Force — Dr. Stephanie Faubion, director of the Mayo Clinic Office of Women's Health in Rochester, Minn., took issue with the task force's recommendation. "I think this report is going to scare women," Faubion said. "Even those who are having symptoms and not excluded from hormone therapy according to this guideline are going to avoid it because they're afraid of it." For example, the guideline does not apply to women who go through menopause early or prematurely, at age 45 or younger, Faubion said. "Those women actually have adverse health consequences if they don't use hormone therapy at least until the natural age of menopause," Faubion said.

Politico, Why a drug for aging would challenge Washington by Sarah Karlin-Smith — Because the nature of anti-aging drugs is fundamentally different than drugs designed to treat a specific disease, the kinds of clinical trials they need will also be different. “The traditional approach is one drug, one target, one disease… ” said James Kirkland, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic who helped develop the idea that removing senescent cells may ease the disabilities of old age. “This is not in that realm at all.”

Inside Edition, Surgeon's Greetings: Singing Doctor Belts Out Christmas Carols in Operating Room by Johanna Li — The singing surgeon is back, and this time, he’s got Christmas carols. Dr. Elvis Francois, an orthopedic surgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, posted a video of himself belting out “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on his Instagram page. “Christmas came early,” the post read. Francois, 32, told InsideEdition.com in a previous interview that he has been singing since he was a kid, and now sings between procedures to relax.

Teen Vogue, Man's Sunburn Swelling Results in Head Dent by Brittney McNamara — According to Mayo Clinic, an indentation left in skin by pressing on it is a symptom of edema — or, swelling. Sunburns can cause swelling, Mayo Clinic points out, in addition to redness, pain, blistering, headache, fever, nausea, and more.

Rewire, This is What Digital Addiction Looks Like — According to Drugabuse.gov, most addictive drugs flood the brain with dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in movement, emotion, motivation and feelings of pleasure. More specifically, dopamine regulates our impulse to seek out pleasure, according to Psychology Today…Dr. Craig Sawchuk, chair of the division of Integrated Behavioral Health at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, uses the term addiction only to describe the abuse of a chemical substance, and classifies excessive technology use as an “impulse control problem.”

Futurism, Welcome to The Future, A Place Where Everyone Knows Your Genetic Code by Alexandra Ossola — “If a savvy life insurance company was able to find genetic information associated with an individual [it was covering], it may be able to hike up premiums,” Zubin Master, a bioethicist at the Mayo Clinic, tells Futurism. No laws currently protect against sequencing DNA that one finds, Ajunwa notes, though such laws do exist in the United Kingdom. So theoretically, someone could take a coffee cup you used and have your DNA sequenced. That’s especially scary since artificial intelligence can now make 3D renderings of people’s faces based on their genomic information alone.

Advisory Board, How the medical group of the 1800s should inform your 2018 strategy by Ron Charpentier — The beginning: Mayo Clinic and the core tenets of the medical group The idea of a medical group began when the Mayo Clinic pioneered the concept in the late 1800s. By the 1970s, it had rapidly expanded to over 6,000 groups across the country. A core set of common tenets underpinned the formation of the Mayo Clinic, and those same doctrines were employed as medical groups expanded throughout the Midwest and eventually to both coasts. In examining the proliferation of group practice over the last century, there is ample evidence of a common set of principles that continue to attract physicians to medical group practice….

Life Science Daily, Mayo Clinic study identifies barriers to stem cell therapy by Dave Kovaleski — Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, have identified specific barriers to patients receiving stem cell therapy to treat multiple myeloma. The barriers, according to researchers, include income, education, insurance status, and access to care. “Stem cell transplants are a standard treatment for patients with multiple myeloma and have been shown to benefit patients by delaying the recurrence of disease and, in some cases, improving patient survival,” Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi, a hematologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida and the lead investigator of this study, said. “While stem cell transplant utilization for patients with multiple myeloma has increased for all racial and ethnic subgroups over time, population-based studies have repeatedly shown that certain racial minorities are less likely to receive it.”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5 ways to stick with your New Year's fitness resolutions by Mary Caldwell — It's easy to start off the New Year full of energy and grand plans, but starting small will give you a greater chance of success, according to the Mayo Clinic. Instead of planning an unrealistic workout schedule, aim for three days a week. Rather than swearing off all your favorite unhealthy treats, vow to limit them to a day or two a week. As you succeed with smaller steps, these habits will soon become a routine that you can build on as you add new goals.

News4Jax, 'Certificates of need' could land on ballot by Christine Sexton — Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville still is considering the merits of the proposed constitutional amendment and has not taken an official position, said Layne Smith, director of state governmental affairs. Mayo Clinic Jacksonville has, in the past, supported legislative proposals to eliminate CON requirements for certain services, such as transplant programs.  “If it goes away for services, we're OK,” Smith said, adding that Mayo Clinic Jacksonville's support stems in part from its own challenges in securing a certificate of need for liver transplants. Smith said Mayo Clinic Jacksonville accrued about $1 million in legal bills in the 1990s wrangling with competitors that didn't want Mayo Clinic Jacksonville performing the procedures.

Florida Times-Union, Mayo Gets EEG Accreditation — Mayo Clinic is the first medical center in Northeast Florida to achieve recognition and accreditation for critical neurological clinical services such as administering electroencephalograms, which record brain cell communications, among other laboratory and monitoring techniques. The American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists awarded the certification, which is based on stringent review of the technical quality of EEGs and laboratory policies and procedures.

Star Tribune, A woman struggling with infertility launches a social network for people who 'get it' by Sharyn Jackson — Seven million women of childbearing age in the U.S. seek treatment for infertility in their lifetimes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for almost all of them, it can be as much an emotional struggle as it is a medical one. “Many couples today have a set life plan,” says Dr. Charles Coddington, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. College, graduate school, professional school, career success before finally starting a family. Infertility throws a wrench in those plans, and the feeling of loss of control can send many patients into a depression. As their doctor, Coddington often finds himself in the role of confidante. “Just having somebody to talk to, who can listen to you and reflect some supportive emotion, is a very powerful thing,” he says.

St. Paul Pioneer Press, Jack Jablonski, paralyzed by a hockey injury, finds purpose — and sees movement by Helene Elliott — Since the accident in his sophomore year, on Dec. 30, 2011, physical therapy has allowed him to activate some muscles in his core and lower back and regain some control of his biceps. He also got into the habit of focusing on his feet, especially when he wore flip-flops and could directly look at his feet and toes, but the mind-body link there remained elusive … until about 10 days ago, when he saw a twitch. It was small, but it provided an enormous emotional boost. “Just got my right big toe to move a little bit!” he said via Twitter, adding the hashtag “littlebylittle”. As of a few days ago, he hadn’t repeated that movement. But the fact that he did it was worth celebrating and incentive for him to continue raising money for spinal cord injury research through his Bel13ve in Miracles Foundation, which partners with the Mayo Clinic. The 13 represents his jersey number at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School and his admiration for skillful former Detroit star Pavel Datsyuk.

St. Paul Pioneer Press, Keillor: MPR fired me without full inquiry by Jeff Baenen — Garrison Keillor says Minnesota Public Radio was wrong to fire him last week without fully investigating what a senior executive has described as “multiple allegations” spanning an extended period against the former “A Prairie Home Companion” host…Meanwhile, Keillor says he plans to go to Mayo Clinic next week for a pacemaker implant. He told the Star Tribune he was having heart problems and has scheduled an appointment at the Rochester clinic. Keillor called the matter “pretty routine but still serious” and added, “I’m fine.” Keillor underwent surgery to repair a heart valve at Mayo in 2001. Additional coverage: Seattle Times. Star Tribune, Daily Times, Kansas City Star, MinnPost, KARE 11, New York Times, Washington Post, KTTC

Twin Cities Business, Mayo Clinic Signs 20-Year Contract with Laundry Service Co. it Once Owned by Don Jacobosn — Some details behind a recently signed contract between the buyers of a 102-year-old laundry service in Rochester and the Mayo Clinic were recently revealed. The Healthcare Linen Alliance, an umbrella ownership group which includes the Wisconsin-based buyer of Rochester’s Textile Care Services, indicated in an announcement released last week that Mayo’s deal with the company will be a lengthy one at two decades. Textile Care was co-founded by the Mayo Clinic and the Kahler Hotel in 1915 to serve both institutions. It has since developed into one of the city’s largest employers with 275 workers, processing more than 30 million pounds of hospital and hotel laundry annually.

Post-Bulletin, Something in the air: Mayo's renowned hyperbaric healing program nears its 10th anniversary by Brett Boese — In 2004, Dr. Paul Claus finally convinced Mayo Clinic leadership to make the leap into hyperbaric healing. While the facility has treated more than 1,200 high-risk patients, it remains a mysterious, obscure high-tech healing device most aren't even aware exists. The campaign for approval was lengthy and the learning curve took years after officially getting the green light, but Claus and his team now are approaching the 10-year anniversary of operating the Australian-built, triple-lock hyperbaric chamber in downtown Rochester.

Post-Bulletin, Have you looked at enough parasite pictures lately? by Anne Halliwell — Dr. Bobbi Pritt sees the miraculous in her microscope, then shares it with the world. Her blog, "Creepy, Dreadful, Wonderful Parasites," celebrated its 10-year anniversary in October with a parasite-themed art contest and giveaways. The Post Bulletin talked to the clinical parasitologist about pinworm, pictures and pathologists on Twitter.

Post-Bulletin, Want to weigh in on 'Discovery Walk'? — Community insights will be gathered Thursday for the planned "Discovery Walk," a four-block segment of Second Avenue Southwest. The Destination Medical Center project extends south from Heart of the City through Discovery Square and down to Soldiers Field, and planners hope it will become a practical, safe and appealing way to move between sub-districts. "Connecting existing and future assets of downtown is essential," said Patrick Seeb, director of economic development and placemaking for the DMC Economic Development Agency. "Discovery Walk will be an integral piece of the greater plan for the DMC District."

KIMT, Hy-Vee Passes Out Balloons at Mayo Clinic by Calyn Thompson — Patients at Mayo Clinic had a little something extra to smile out. Hy-Vee brought in more than 700 balloons to patients at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center. This is the second year of Hy-Vee’s Balloon Brigade Initiative, where balloons are given to patients. It’s all made possible thanks to balloons donated by Hy-Vee customers. The campaign continues through Dec. 17. Additional coverage: KTTC

KIMT, Mayo Clinic Hosts “Stop the Bleed” by Calyn Thompson — Mayo Clinic hosted a “Stop the Bleed” course to teach people how to treat severe injuries when disaster strikes. One participant said she wanted to learn how to help victims. Participants learned how to use a tourniquet and pack a wound. They also learned the “ABC’s”: A for alert to call 911 for help, B for bleeding to find the source of the injury, and C for compress to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. The instructor said the goal is to eventually have “Stop the Bleed” kits everywhere you see an AED. The kits include a tourniquet, marker, gloves, and gauze.

Med City Beat, Mayo loosens dress code to allow for tattoos, fleeces and biz casual — That large hospital system where half the town works is loosening its traditionally tight belt when it comes to dress code. Beginning Jan. 1, a revised dress and decorum policy will go into effect at Mayo Clinic. The new set of rules will for the first time permit visible tattoos — though the organization "reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of visible body art" — while eliminating other wardrobe restrictions, such as one that had prohibited employees from wearing fleece jackets. Mayo says the new standards will rely "more on general principles rather than specific details." The changes were approved by Mayo's Board of Governors and its People and Culture Committee.

WRVO, Injuries spike around the holidays, but aren't what you'd expect — For most people the holidays are a happy and healthy time, but some people do end up in the emergency room. Injuries seen in emergency facilities around the holidays include falls, cuts and back pain, among others. This week on a special hour-long edition of "Take Care," we examine some holiday-related injuries with Dr. Michael Boniface, an emergency room doctor at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Alzforum, ApoE4 Promotes Amyloidosis, But Only in Plaque-Free Mice — Researchers led by David Holtzman at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis arrived at this conclusion by suppressing human ApoE3 or ApoE4 in AD mice either from birth or after plaques emerged. Conversely, researchers led by Guojun Bu at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, overexpressed human ApoE3 or ApoE4 in AD mouse models at different ages. In both cases, the intervention only affected plaque load when it began before plaques emerged. How ApoE stimulates plaque formation, and whether that involves a direct interaction with Aβ, remains unclear.

Neurology Today, Wellness: How Neurologists in Independent and Academic Practices Are Tackling Burnout by Lola Butcher — Indeed, six out of 10 neurologists report at least one symptom of burnout, potentially compromising their own well-being, patient care, and the physician workforce. But as they came to grips with the findings of research studies conducted by the Academy and others, all good practice leaders arrived at the same question: What should we do? Colin P. West, MD, PhD, co-director of the Program on Physician Well-being at Mayo Clinic, gives a complicated answer. “There are no best practices,” he said. “Many interventions might work.” Dr. West is one of the nation's top researchers in clinician burnout, publishing more than 40 papers on the topic in the past decade.

Daily Progress, Generation Us: Knitters lower their stress levels one stitch at a time by Virginia Peale — Even more exciting as people are living longer is the news that craft activities such as knitting are associated with decreased odds of having mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and memory loss. Several articles over the past few years have cited a 2011 study led by Dr. Yonas Geda, professor of neurology and psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic. The study suggests that crafts like knitting and crocheting may help ward off a decline in brain function as we age. Because other cognitive activities did not produce the same benefits, researchers are speculating that there is something about craft activities that “promote[s] the development of neural pathways in the brain that help to maintain cognitive health.”

Clearfield Progress, Mayo Clinic Minute: Play safer hockey — Although hockey's often considered a risky sport for injuries, a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon says smart play and proper training can lower the odds of getting hurt.

Medical Xpress, VDT PACE effective in relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma — Arjun Lakshman, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues analyzed outcomes of 141 patients with RRMM who received VPLRs between 2006 and 2017. Patients had received a median of four prior therapies, including stem cell transplant (SCT) in 66.7 percent. Overall. 67.4 percent of patients received VDT PACE, 14.2 percent received VD PACE, and 18.4 percent received other VPLRs. A median of one cycle of VPLR was received by patients. "VPLRs are effective in heavily pre-treated RRMM," the authors write. "In fit patients, SCT can be used to consolidate the response to VPLR."

MedPage Today, Recent, Future Advances on Display at ASH by Charles Bankhead —"ASH is really the premier event in both malignant and nonmalignant hematology around the world," Joseph Mikhael, MD, of the Mayo Clinic Arizona in Phoenix, said during a media preview of the meeting. "It is by far the largest hematology conference on the planet. We anticipate over 25,000 attendees from more than 150 countries."

DOTMed.com, Mayo Clinic expert emphasizes safety demands of interventional MR procedures by Lauren Dubinsky — One may think the safety requirements for diagnostic MR and interventional MR (iMR) would be the same, but Krzysztof Gorny, associate professor of medical physics at Mayo Clinic, argues that there are distinct differences. "iMR is usually a more complex practice than a diagnostic MRI,” he said at the RSNA meeting last Tuesday. “This has to do with the number of people involved in the procedures, additional equipment that's not MR-safe.”

MDLinx, The paradoxical role of family history in breast cancer risk — Although family history can influence a patient’s risk of developing breast cancer, it does not increase that risk once other risk factors are identified. “Family history can have somewhat of a paradoxical role when we look at women who have a family history and who also have one of these high-risk lesions, such as atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ,” says Amy C. Degnim, MD, professor of surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

MDLinx, Breast cancer: Mortality rates in men versus women — When we think of breast cancer, rarely do we consider the male patient, and it might be because “men are at a dramatically lower risk for breast cancer than women,” says Amy C. Degnim, MD, professor of surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Since it is unlikely for this patient population to undergo routine screening, biopsy, or mammograms, breast cancer cases are often diagnosed in the later stages in male patients. However, when adjusted for disease stage, males with breast cancer do not have higher mortality rates than their female counterparts…“Because male breast cancer is less frequent than it is in females, there is a bit of a knowledge gap,” says Dr. Degmin.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Physician couple saves fellow passenger during flight to Phoenix by Megan Knowles — A physician couple flying to a medical conference saved the life of a fellow passenger in the aisle of a plane en route to Phoenix Oct. 25, according to a Mayo Clinic report. Chetna Mangat, MD, and her husband, Gagandeep Singh, MD, were sitting directly behind the passenger, who had gone into cardiac arrest and was unresponsive. "My husband jumped up and found that the woman had no pulse," Dr. Mangat, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wis., told the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. "Without wasting any time, he pulled her onto the floor in the aisle and we started active CPR." Dr. Mangat performed chest compressions while her husband, a family practice physician who also cares for emergency department patients, began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Philips acquires Mayo Clinic spinout VitalHealth by Jessica Kim Cohen — Amsterdam-based Royal Philips acquired VitalHealth, a population health management company based in Ede, the Netherlands, the company announced Dec. 8. Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic and Lunteren, the Netherlands-based Noaber Foundation founded VitalHealth in 2006 to provide patients with cloud-based population health management solutions. The company's personalized care solutions — including telehealth applications and care coordination platforms — are used in more than 100 healthcare networks across the globe.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Mayo Clinic, Harvard-affiliated hospitals, USC researchers partner to advance Alzheimer's research by Alia Paavola — Three researchers from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, the Los Angeles-based Keck School of Medicine of USC, and two Harvard-affiliated hospitals were awarded up to $70 million from the National Institutes of Health to establish improved infrastructure for advancing Alzheimer's research.  With the five-year grant, the consortium hopes to build an initial network of 35 Alzheimer's disease trial sites at universities across the U.S. The new infrastructure will implement more efficient methods to recruit participants for clinical trials and provide more convenient locations for these patients. The three researchers will collaborate by sharing data, instruments, software and biologic samples. Additional coverage: USC News, San Diego Union-Tribune, Harvard Gazette, Keck School of Medicine

Becker’s ASC Review, Physicians, Bingham Memorial Hospital collaborate on Idaho-based Cardio Renal Centers of America: 4 key notes by Laura Dyrda — The new facility, located in Idaho Falls, is modeled after the Mayo Clinic to provide a one-stop-shop medical facility. The 25,000-square-foot building will house cardiology, nephrology, interventional pain management and peritoneal dialysis in addition to orthopedic services, according to East Idaho News.

Medical Xpress, International team identifies genetic model for predicting primary myelofibrosis outcomes — A group of investigators from Mayo Clinic and multiple academic research centers in Italy have identified a genetic model for predicting outcomes in patients with primary myelofibrosis who are 70 years or younger and candidates for stem cell transplant to treat their disease. The group's findings were presented today at the 59th American Society of Hematology annual meeting in Atlanta by lead authors Alessandro Vannucchi, M.D. from the University of Florence and Ayalew Tefferi, M.D., a hematologist at Mayo Clinic. Myelofibrosis is a rare type of chronic leukemia that disrupts the body's normal production of blood cells," says Dr. Tefferi.

Healio, Tricuspid valve surgeries increased from 2004 to 2013 — Chad J. Zack, MD, a cardiology fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues analyzed data from the National Inpatient Sample from 2004 to 2013 of patients who underwent tricuspid valve repair or replacement without simultaneous mitral, aortic or pulmonary valve surgery. Patients who had active endocarditis or congenital heart disease were excluded. The outcomes of interest were the type of surgery, number of procedures performed annually, postoperative morbidity, in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, total cost of hospitalization and discharge destination.

Renal & Urology News, MRI Predicts Outcomes of Prostate Cancer Salvage Radiotherapy by Jody A. Charnow — The study, by a team at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, led by R. Jeffrey Karnes, MD, included 473 sXRT patients who were evaluated by pelvic mpMRI after experiencing biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer following RP. Of these patients, 204 (57%) had lesions on mpMRI. After excluding nodal/bone lesions, 29% of patients had PSA recurrence and 14% had metastasis at a median follow-up of 45 months after salvage radiation, the investigators reported online ahead of print in European Urology…Dr Karnes and his colleagues concluded that pre-sXRT mpMRI “is a valuable adjunct to current clinicopathologic variables used to estimate the success of sXRT.”

Tech in Asia, Mayo Clinic deal and $5m funding for health data platform Biofourmis by Jack Ellis — Singapore-based health analytics platform Biofourmis announced the close of its series A funding round today, while also unveiling a partnership with US medical research institute, the Mayo Clinic. The startup raised US$5 million from NSI Ventures – part of Singaporean private equity firm Northstar Group – and Aviva Ventures, the VC arm of UK insurance company Aviva. Through its collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, Biofourmis will get access to data from clinical trials and research carried out by the institute.

Bend Bulletin, Becoming a doctor is stressful — …Female introducers almost always referred to the speaker as “doctor,” regardless of his or her gender. Male introducers used the formal title only two-thirds of the time — and were much more likely to use “doctor” for men than women. They used a woman’s professional title less than half the time. “I remember being on a panel with all men, and the moderator thanking Dr. X, Y, Z — and Julia,” said Dr. Julia Files, an associate professor at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and lead author of the study.

Nashville Post, Debate: The U.S. health care system is terminally broken — Can the U.S. health system as we know it today be “fixed” and become better, smarter and more compassionate? That was the question debated in September as part of Transform, the annual conference of the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation. The discussion was moderated by ABC News correspondent John Donvan and can be viewed in full at www.intelligencesquaredus.org.

KEYC Mankato, Mayo Clinic Holds Memorial Service for Children Gone too Soon by Temi Adeleye — Mayo Clinic Health System held a children's memorial service today for families who lost a child during a pregnancy, childhood or adulthood. The event is part of International Children's Memorial Day, which occurs annually on the second Sunday in December, with candles lit around the world in memory of children who have died. Mayo Clinic's Bereavement Coordinator Jeanne Atkinson said there were a number of activities for the event. "We have a service where we light candles and we have music and we have a local pastor who comes in does a little mediation about grief and loss," said Atkinson.

KEYC Mankato, Holiday-Related Injuries by Kelsey Barchenger — Dr. Jennifer Johnson, physician with Mayo Clinic Health System joined KEYC News 12 this Midday to talk about holiday-related injuries that happen this time of year. She talked about common items that young children are often exposed to during the holidays that can pose a danger. She also talked about some outdoor risks as well, along with some resources that parents can contact if their child is injured.

KEYC Mankato, Prevent Injuries This Holiday Season by Erika Brooks — The holidays introduce many new items for kids to get their hands on...decorations, new toys, even candy. Leading to potential choking hazards. Adults are advised to keep a close eye on the younger children...as they prep their homes for guests. "Being aware that if you maybe don't have kids around full time and maybe you're expecting those grandkids to come over for Christmas. Watching the plug-ins on the Christmas tree, making sure that the kids don't have access to those cords, watching all of that stuff. Decorations that maybe have berries or things that look like fruit, kids might be tempted to pick up and put in their mouth," said Jennifer Johnson, D.O., a family medicine physician with Mayo Clinic Health System.

La Crosse Tribune, Nurse who lobbied to expand licensing beyond state lines hails new law by Mike Tighe — Appreciation for the law also came from Mayo Clinic Health System. “Licensing across state borders gives flexibility to nurses and health care organizations to meet the needs of their patients while keeping high-quality health care in local communities,” said Jason Fratzke, chief nursing officer of Mayo Clinic Health System Southwest Wisconsin.

WBKT La Crosse, Meals in Minutes: Orange Dream Smoothie — Chef Heather VanHorn of Mayo Clinic Health System joined Jen and Bill on News 8 This Morning to share a Orange Dream Smoothie recipe. Consider it for a quick and healthy breakfast option, or even for a dessert!

WKBT La Crosse, Mayo Clinic Study: 1 in 3 believe concussion is brain injury — Most high school athletes, their parents and coaches can identify the possible effects of a concussion, but only about one-third know that it is a brain injury, according to a Mayo Clinic study. Three Rochester-area high schools completed a questionnaire that assessed their concussion knowledge and history for the study. “We will use this data to guide us in our concussion education efforts,” says senior author Edward Laskowski M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and co-director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine in Rochester. “By targeting and tailoring the messages to coaches, parents and athletes, our hope is that it leads to a better understanding for all of this significant injury.” Additional coverage: Medical Xpress,  Indiana 105.5, Indiana 107.1

WEAU Eau Claire, More people going to the doctor without physically being there by Abigail Hantke — The growing popularity of over-the-phone, online and virtual visits is being seen here in the Chippewa Valley. “Medicine is practiced quite different now compared to previous generations,” said Dr. Paul Loomis, a family physician with Mayo Clinic Health System. “We don't necessarily have to see every patient on a regular basis every year, like there may be conditions where they need their medicines refilled. I’m actually interacting with more patients now than seeing them face to face.”

Freemont Tribune, Letter: Alzheimer's study — The study called Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Generation Study will involve 80 sites, it's lead by the Phoenix based Bahner Alzheimer's Institute and drug makers Novartis and Amgen. To quote Dr. Murman, "We are much more optimistic we'll be more successful at the earlier stage." And Dr. Petersen, Mayo Clinic says, "If we catch Alzheimer's in the early stages we may be able to delay its progress in terms of years." Dr. Murman also stated, "The medicines...would be like treating people to reduce cholesterol in order to prevent heart disease.

Grand Forks Herald, Employers, health providers focus on health maintenance to cut costs by Pamela Knudson — Because of the way it's structured, the nation's health care system may be more accurately labeled a "disease care system." But wellness advocates point to growing recognition that health promotion and wellness play an important part in preventing disease and reducing medical costs.  "If you think about our whole medical care system, it evolved as a 'disease-treatment model,' " said Dr. Donald Hensrud, medical director of the Healthy Living Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "A hundred years ago, there was not the recognition of how physical activity and diet impact health," said Hensrud, a Grand Forks native. "It was more, the medical system evolved as a need. If you get sick, you go to the doctor, you get a pill, and you get better—that's an oversimplification, but for many years that's the way it evolved."

Navy Times, Health experts warn concussions present major challenges to military health by Leo Shane III — Among civilians, nearly 4 million concussions occur each year,” Dr. David Dodick, program director for the Mayo Clinic’s concussion program, told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. “It can lead to permanent symptoms in some and permanent damage or disease in others. And yet, it remains significantly underdiagnosed.” Dodick’s comments came at a hearing designed to look at improvements to military and veterans brain injury programs, but the secondary effects of that work could have wide-ranging effects on the country as a whole. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she is hopeful successes from military experts working on the problem could lead to significant advances for the general public.

Nine Australia, Medibio collaborates with Mayo Clinic — Medibio will begin the first prospective clinical trial with Mayo Clinic under a 5-year master clinical trial agreement that was signed in October. The primary goal is to characterise longitudinal autonomic, circadian, and sleep patterns, as classified by the Medibio Analytics Platform, following the initiation of a standard pharmacological treatment for a new or recurrent, moderate-to-severe major depressive episode of both the unipolar and bipolar type.

Runner’s World, Gabe Grunewald on Running and Cancer Treatment: “I’m Not Throwing in the Towel” by Erin Strout — RW: You mentioned that one of your doctors is a runner. Does that help at all? GG: My interventional radiologist at the Mayo Clinic is a runner. I first met with him in April. He looked at my case a little differently because he understands my job and what my body requires to be a runner. It was pretty cool to have him as my doctor because from the beginning he was trying to figure out how they could be minimally invasive.

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