June 22, 2018

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for June 22, 2018

By Emily Blahnik

 

 

 

 

USA Today, Landmark Mediterranean diet study was flawed. Authors retract paper published in NEJM by Ashley May — We've been hearing about the benefits of a Mediterranean diet for years, and now authors of a major study long cited for suggesting its heart-healthy benefits said the research was flawed. The original study, published in 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine,suggested a Mediterranean diet can decrease risk of heart attacks and strokes. Authors said in a letter published Wednesday there were "irregularities in the randomization procedures" and they've revised the report. … But some are skeptical. Donald Hensrud, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, who isn't affiliated with the study, told USA TODAY the revision casts doubt on the entirety of the study.  "The journal and the authors should be applauded for reanalyzing the data, but when there are questions like this raised, it damages the credibility to some extent of the overall study," Hensrud said. Additional coverage: 9News.com Denver, Arizona CentralNY Daily News

New York Times, A New Approach to Treating Hypochondria by Jane E. Brody — Dr. Jeffrey P. Staab, a specialist in psychosomatic and behavioral medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said it took two decades of research to come up with the new concepts, which eliminate the focus on medically unexplained symptoms. Instead, the new diagnoses put a focus on undue attention to bodily symptoms and excessive health concerns, which, when properly explained, can be very reassuring to patients. “Health anxiety and body vigilance are much more understandable to patients when they realize they can have these things despite what their doctor finds,” he said in an online report to health professionals. “We found it much easier to engage patients if we identified what the problem was instead of what it was not.”

Reader’s Digest, The Scientific Explanations Behind 22 Quirky Body Reactions by Ashley Lewis — Your fingers wrinkle in the water: As water starts to seep in your skin, the upper layers of the skin swell up. This water permeation causes the nerves in your skin to fire off electrical charges and chemicals, which make the blood vessels constrict. A negative pressure from your narrowed blood vessels pulls down the upper layers of your skin to create the wrinkles you see on your fingertips and toes. “Evolutionary experts are finding evidence that it may have actually helped humans to grip objects better when in water,” says Amy Rantala, MD, family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “People who have nerve damage to their fingers or toes will often not have this same wrinkling of fingers.”

BuzzFeed, Are Horror Movies Bad For Your Health? An Expert Cardiologist Weighs In by Caroline Kee — We spoke to an expert, Dr. Regis Fernandes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, to find out what actually goes on inside the body when you watch a scary movie.

Runner’s World, 8 First Aid and Safety Tips Every Runner Should Know by Emily Shiffer — “The best thing to do is stop the bleeding, and clean and protect the area,” says Katie Lawton, an exercise physiologist in Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic…Jacob Erickson, a sports medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic, agrees. “Make sure to clean the area as soon as you are able with hydrogen peroxide or warm, soapy water. If you only have a bottle of water, that water will suffice,” he says. “Use some type of antibiotic ointment or plain petroleum jelly to keep the area moist. You can keep it exposed if it’s not draining, otherwise keep it covered until the drainage stops or is better controlled.”

Washington Post, Tormented by eczema, woman kills her parents and then herself, police say by Lindsey Bever — In her suicide note, she talked about her longtime struggle with eczema, a common but chronic skin condition. The 23-year-old woman, identified in news reports as Pang Ching-yu, was found dead Monday alongside her parents in an apartment in Hong Kong. Police suspect that she stabbed them to death, then took her own life…Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a common skin condition, especially in children, that causes dry, itchy and scaly patches to appear, according to the Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: Yahoo!

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Avoid injury during baseball and softball season — “Injuries are common in youth and adult baseball and softball players,” says Jake Erickson, D.O., Mayo Clinic Health System sports medicine physician. “Being aware of the most common injuries and their causes can prevent harm.” Dr. Erickson says the most common baseball and softball-related injuries include: Damage or tear to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). According to Sports Med, UCL damage often is caused by pitchers throwing too much. Knowing your limits can help prevent overuse.

Everyday Health, Mammography Rates Lower Than Expected Among Breast Cancer Survivors by Shari Roan — The findings were somewhat anticipated, says Kathryn Ruddy, MD, director of cancer survivorship for the department of oncology at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Rochester, Minnesota, and the lead author of the study. Other studies have found women have fewer mammograms the further out they are from the diagnosis. “Our results were relatively consistent with findings from other studies, including a recent Italian study. They found that 80 percent of patients had a mammogram or clinical breast exam during the first year after treatment, but this decreased to 67 percent at 10 years of follow-up,” she says.

Everyday Health, To Help Knee Osteoarthritis, Lose as Much Weight as Possible by Meryl Davids Landau — Mikel Bryant, RD, with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, suggests that a good way to lose weight is to think about what you can add to your diet, rather than what you must take away. “Adding fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains can make you feel full,” she says. The best diets remain the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet, which are full of these healthy foods. Bryant also recommends distributing calories more evenly throughout the day. “Rather than the typical American approach of skipping breakfast, grabbing a quick lunch, and then eating a big dinner because you’re hungry, eat more at the earlier meals and less at night,” she says.

CNN, Diabetes after 50 could be early sign of pancreatic cancer, study says by Mark Lieber — …The pancreas is an abdominal organ that has many functions, including the regulation of blood sugar. It regulates sugar by producing insulin, which reduces blood sugar levels, and glucagon, which increases blood sugar levels. Diabetes occurs when either the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or the body's tissues become resistant to insulin, resulting in increased blood sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic.

KTTC, 10 Who Make a Difference: Sherrie Decker by Linda Ha — All this week, KTTC and the United Way of Olmsted County are honoring "10 Who Make a Difference." Sherrie Decker is of Rochester has touched the hearts and lives of hundreds. During a visit to Mayo Clinic, Decker heard four words no parent ever wants to hear, "Your child has cancer." Her daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer at 7-years-old and later had her leg amputated. She says this experience has changed her perspective on what's most important in life. Eager to make a difference, she co-founded the non-profit organization "Brighter Tomorrows" in 2007 with other parents whose child was also diagnosed with cancer.

KTTC, Mayo Clinic Health System updates Albert Lea cancer center — Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea opened its newly remodeled cancer center on Monday afternoon. The remodel focused on patient privacy and individuality, and is the first major remodel since the center opened in 1999. Workers installed new dividers in the treatment area, updated flooring and wall decor, and renovated exam rooms. Additional coverage: KIMT, Albert Lea Tribune, KAAL

KAAL, Closer Cancer Clinical Trials for Locals — Cancer patients looking to get into the best clinical trials have traditionally had to travel to large medical centers like the University of Minnesota or Mayo Clinic in Rochester. But that is no longer the case. Some of those trials are now being offered at much smaller health centers, including those in Austin and Albert Lea. "So we have some exciting news actually.." says Dr. Sumit Bhagra. Dr. Sumit Bhagra is the Medical Director for Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin. He says big-time clinical cancer treatments are now much more accessible.

KAAL, Looking Back at Memorable Minnesota Presidential Visits by Frank Rajkowski — FDR Honors the Mayo Brothers: In the midst of his first term in office, Franklin Roosevelt arrived in Rochester on Aug. 8, 1934. His purpose: to honor Willliam and Charlie Mayo, the doctors of Mayo Clinic fame. "You have helped to give to the medical profession a unique place in the community and the Nation," he said in his remarks. Roosevelt went on to inspect projects on the Mississippi River, including a dam between Lake City and Winona, the Minneapolis Tribune reported.

KIMT, Teen Fights Rare Disease by Katie Lange — A senior at Byron High School is fighting a rare disease. According to Mike Coble's "Go Fund Me" page, the teen was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome affecting his nerves and muscles...According to the wire story, Mayo Clinic said there is no cure for the disease, but most people do recover. Additional coverage: Star Tribune

KIMT, New Mayo Clinic Research to Help Pancreatic Cancer Patients by Calyn Thompson — It’s research from Mayo Clinic that will help doctors with treatment plans for their patients with pancreatic cancer. Researchers have found specific genetic mutations linked to pancreatic cancer. Because they found them in patients with no history of the disease, they’re recommending genetic testing. “As we understand more about these genetic targets in these sub-populations of tumors, we can improve pancreatic cancer outcomes by really understanding the basic biology of the tumors and how they work,” Robert McWilliams, a professor of oncology at Mayo Clinic and one of the authors of the study, said. Additional coverage: News-medical.net, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, Science Daily

Med City Beat, Ken Burns' Mayo doc to include interviews with John McCain, Dalai Lama — Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns is pulling out all the stops for his forthcoming documentary on the Mayo Clinic. This week, we learned that Sen. John McCain and the Dalai Lama were interviewed for the two-hour film, which is set to air this fall. Both McCain and the Dalai Lama are patients at Mayo Clinic. McCain, who is battling brain cancer, has been receiving treatment at Mayo's Phoenix campus, while the Dalai Lama has been traveling to Rochester for many years for regular health checkups. Additional coverage: Becker’s Hospital ReviewBroadway World

MSP St. Paul Magazine, Demystifying the Tick by Sheila Mulrooney Eldred — Bobbi Pritt has decorated her office at the Mayo Clinic with ticks and parasites—none currently alive, at least not that she knows—in a conspicuously cheerful style. If that characterization seems impossible, then you’ve probably never seen a football-sized plush tick—or met Bobbi Pritt. On a recent day just before tick season, she shows off the stuffie, grabbing it with a pair of tweezers the size of a fire hydrant…Pritt’s public reputation stems largely from a blog she started in 2007, called Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites. Each week, she posts a mystery medical case involving an unidentified parasite: Unsolved Mysteries, where the offender is a malicious parasite. Readers write in to guess the perp. Upon being introduced to her at meetings, people will often say, “Hey! You’re Parasite Gal!”

KARE 11, VERIFY: How long until sunscreen expires? — …We turned to Dr. Jerry Brewer with the Mayo Clinic. He says sunscreens are designed to stay at their original strength for up to three years, but advises that they should be tossed if there are obvious changes in color or consistency. Some sunscreens 'do' have an expiration date clearly printed on them, and Dr. Brewer says you should honor those dates. He suggests if the product you buy doesn't have one, write the day you bought it on the bottle, and throw it away after three years. Keep in mind, if you use sunscreen often and apply it generously you won't have to worry about expiration dates. Dr. Brewer says an average person needs about a 'shot glass' worth of sunscreen for every application, and that n average 4 ounce tube of sunscreen would fill that shot glass about 4 times.

ActionNewsJax, Jacksonville father, business owner searches for kidney donor by Danielle Avitable — A Jacksonville business owner and father is now a walking billboard in an attempt to find a kidney donor. As one picture shows, while Jamil Farhat walked around Disney World holding his little girl’s hand, he wore a t-shirt that read ‘in need of kidney, B positive’. “I’m out there asking for somebody to give the gift of life,” Farhat said…He has been on Mayo Clinic’s kidney donor transplant list since January.

News4Jax, Dangers of misusing over-the-counter medications by Jodi Mohrmann — Dr. David Dodick is a Mayo Clinic migraine specialist and a professor of neurology. While he said over-the-counter medications are an important tool, his research shows a problem. “My colleagues and I recently completed a population-based study across the United States and found that amongst patients who had at least one headache within the past 30 days, 15 percent overused these over-the-counter analgesics,” Dodick explained.

News4Jax, Father, hospitalized with cancer, still gets to see son graduate by Joe Purdy — A Jacksonville father who is fighting colon cancer couldn't make it to his son's high school graduation in person, however, he didn't miss a single moment thanks to modern technology. Knowlton Anderson graduated valedictorian of his class at Douglas Anderson High School. Due to complications with surgery, his father, Dan Anderson, had to stay in the hospital and miss his son's big day. "He (Dan) supported me through my whole entire life," Knowlton Anderson said. "I know he wanted to be there as much as I wanted to be there." The physicians at Mayo Clinic told the Andersons they could use the hospital's special television developed for doctors. It's typically used so doctors can examine patients without being in the same room.

KEYC Mankato, Camp Sweet Life Receives $10,000 Grant From Mayo Clinic Health System by Tyler Seggerman — Mayo Clinic Health System has given Camp Sweet Life (CSL) a $10,000 grant to help youth and adults battling Type I Diabetes. The money comes Mayo's "Hometown Health Grants", which are geared toward community–based health and wellness programs… Executive director Rene Maes says "Thanks to Mayo for believing in Camp Sweet Life. We're celebrating our 8th year of providing Type I diabetes care for kids and young adults. The money and the grant that we wrote is to help us keep the cost of camp down."

Kenyon Leader, Mayo Clinic Health System welcomes new dermatologist by Terri Washburn — Dermatologist Amer Kalaaji, M.D., has expanded his clinical practice to include patients at Mayo Clinic Health System in Cannon Falls. Dr. Kalaaji specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions. He will continue to see dermatology patients at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. “I look forward to providing quality, compassionate dermatologic care to patients in Cannon Falls and nearby communities,” says Dr. Kalaaji. “I also look forward to working with my fellow colleagues in other Mayo Clinic Health System locations to provide comprehensive, integrated care to our patients.”

WXOW La Crosse, Biking across the country for cancer — A non-profit organization dedicated to spreading cancer awareness, raising money, and interviewing people affected by the disease arrived in La Crosse on Thursday. The Illini 4000 bike riders were welcomed at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and given a tour of the facility. The riders began their trek in New York City and end their route in San Francisco. Though the cross country trek is challenging, it's nothing compared to what others have to endure. Additional coverage: WEAU Eau Claire, WKBT La Crosse

KOB 4, Lower Back Pain and the Mayo Clinic — Khalil is talking with Dr. Chandan Krishna at the Mayo Clinic about Lower back pain.

UPI.com, Researchers develop bacteria that may treat constipation by Allen Cone — Genetically engineered bacteria helped treat constipation in mice, according to a study. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine developed bacteria that produced large amounts of the chemical tryptamine, which helps food pass through the intestines with potentially less risk of side effects than other constipation drugs…"These synthetic bacteria spur transit of food through the digestive system without messing with diet and microbes," lead author Dr. Purna Kashyap, associate director of the Center for Individualized Medicine Microbiome Program, said in a press release. In the study, researchers found bacterially-produced tryptamine helps accelerate food through the digestive system in mice. Additional coverage: New Atlas

Reader’s Digest, 8 Health Problems That Get Worse During Summer by Lauren Gelman — Kidney stones: One University of Texas study found that as temperatures rise, so do kidney stone rates. It’s probably because people are less hydrated in the summer months: the Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding this common (yet enormously painful) ailment by staying hydrated and reducing the amount of sugar and sodium in your diet.

Reader’s Digest, What Every Man Should Know About Psoriasis by Claire Gillespie — Psoriasis symptoms vary from person to person, but the most common are red patches of skin; small scaling spots; dry, cracked skin that may bleed; and thickened, pitted, or ridged nails, says Mayo Clinic. Some sufferers also report itching, burning or soreness, or swollen and stiff joints. Some people might only have a small patch of scaling, while in others major eruptions cover large areas of their body.

WTOP, Health risks, tips for work, exercise in heat and humidity by Neal Augenstein — Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say exercise in hot weather puts extra stress on the body, since exercise itself and the air temperature can increase your body core temperature. To help cool itself, your body sends more blood to circulate through your skin, which leaves less blood for muscles, which raises your heart rate. With high humidity, your body faces extra stress because sweat doesn’t easily evaporate from your skin, pushing your body temperature even higher. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic say the heat-related illnesses occur along a spectrum…

Men’s Health, How To Improve Your Heart Health by Alex Pierotti — Diet is also key to maintaining a healthy heart. Research conducted by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings indicated that foods rich in omega-3s reduced the risk of coronary heart disease while ingredients from the Mediterranean diet like virgin olive oil provide similar benefits, reports Circulation.

Medscape, Greater Focus on Sex, Gender Differences in Alzheimer's Needed by Megan Brooks — The Society for Women's Health Research Interdisciplinary Network on Alzheimer's Disease, comprising an expert panel of scientists and clinicians, reviewed ongoing research and published literature related to sex and gender differences in AD. "There is a lack of research looking at sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's disease," Michelle Mielke, PhD, network co-chair from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told Medscape Medical News. "There are some studies coming out showing that there may be different risk factors for men and women, but there are a lot of things that we still need to do and don't know," said Mielke.

Healio, Severe diarrhea an important side effect of checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy — In this exclusive video, Joseph Murray, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., shares some insight on research presented at Digestive Disease Week about checkpoint inhibitor-induced diarrhea. “Checkpoint inhibitors are a group of drugs that have made really some of the most significant advances in treating cancers,” he said. “They do this by unleashing the immune system to attack cancers. Now, that’s great. It helps attack cancers that are often difficult to treat.”

Medical Xpress, New position paper recommends treatment options for nightmare disorder in adults — "Helpful treatment options are available for adults who are experiencing distress due to nightmares," said lead author Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "The judgment and expertise of a knowledgeable clinician are essential to ensure appropriate treatment selection and effective management of nightmare disorder."

Medical News Today, What can autopsies teach us about heart disease? by Maria Cohut — Three studies published in this issue explain just how autopsy can reveal the underlying causes of sudden cardiac death, how cardiac implantable electronic devices can offer crucial postmortem information, and how studying the heart after death can help us to zoom in on the causes of atherosclerosis…In the first of these studies, Dr. Michael J. Ackerman — from the Mayo Clinic's Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory in Rochester, MN — and a team of international researchers used autopsy to investigate sudden cardiac death in young people. Additional coverage: Medical Xpress

Healthcare Informatics, At the HIT Summit in Minneapolis, an MD Informaticist’s Perspective on Clinical Transformation by Mark Hagland — On Thursday, June 14, at the Health IT Summit in Minneapolis, sponsored by Healthcare Informatics, Karl Poterack, M.D., delivered a presentation on “The Role of Clinical Informatics in Practice and EHR Convergence.” Dr. Poterack, who is based at Mayo headquarters in Rochester, Minnesota, is a practicing anesthesiologist and the medical director of applied clinical informatics at the Mayo Clinic organization, based in the headquarters office of that patient care organization, in Rochester, Minnesota.

Doximity, ASCO 2018: Dr. Judy C. Boughey on Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Patients — Dr. Judy C. Boughey presented on neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer patients at ASCO 2018. See link for full transcript of the interview.

MobiHealthNews, Mayo Clinic-born remote patient monitoring startup Ambient Clinical Analytics gets $1.5M by Jonah Comstock — Ambient Clinical Analytics, a remote patient monitoring company that spun off from Mayo Clinic in 2013, has raised $1.5 million in a round led by Noaber Ventures, the impact investment arm of Noaber Foundation and the company’s first European investor. Existing investors Social Capital, Bluestem Capital, and Mayo Clinic also contributed to the round.

Romper, Why Do Babies Have Watery Eyes? Some Tears Are Not Caused By Sadness by Shari Maurer — The Mayo Clinic likened it to how a storm drain carries away rainwater. "Tears normally drain into your nose through tiny openings (puncta) in the inner part of the lids near the nose," according to the Mayo Clinic staff. "In babies, the tear duct may not be fully open and functioning for the first several months of life."

Press Page, 7 newsroom features that increase journalists’ engagement — What we’re trying to do is break through the noise and meet the media and the consumer where they are consuming content. We develop fresh content based on our strategic priorities, but we also want to get into the news cycle as well. — Ron Petrovich, Director, Communications, News and News Delivery at Mayo Clinic.

El Comercio, Los 6 mejores ejercicios para quemar calorías, según la ciencia — Clínica Mayo de Estados Unidos presentó una lista con los ejercicios que más calorías permiten quemar.

Redaccion Medica, Nuevas definiciones para sepsis y shock séptico en el Congreso de ACHPE — En los dos últimos años se ha publicado gran cantidad de estudios que no solamente le han dado una nueva definición a la sepsis y al shock séptico, sino que también existen modernas intervenciones en su manejo y sus detalles serán revelados por Rodrigo Cartin-Ceba, especialista en cuidados intensivos y Neumología de Mayo Clinic, Phoenix Arizona. En entrevista con REDACCIÓN MÉDICA, Cartin-Ceba ha comentado que “mucha gente no sabe que la sepsis es extremadamente frecuente y las muertes por ello son mayores que las originadas por cáncer de mama o próstata”.

El Economista, La dignidad en pacientes con epilepsia by Nelly Toche — “De repente nadie quiere hablar de epilepsia, es una enfermedad con un gran estigma, pero para los profesionales de la salud es crucial atenderla de manera temprana”, aseguró el Dr. Joseph I. Sirven, jefe del departamento de Neurología de Mayo Clinic, en entrevista. La epilepsia es un trastorno del sistema nervioso central en el que la actividad cerebral se altera, lo que provoca convulsiones o periodos de comportamiento inusual y, a veces, pérdida de la conciencia.

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