Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Linking Hep B Vaccine To Autism Retracted Due To 'Methodological Flaws'
A 2010 paper that linked hepatitis B vaccines in infant boys to an increased risk of autism diagnosis was retracted and another study by the same authors is under investigation. The study, published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, claimed that boys vaccinated as neonates had a three times higher odds of an autism diagnosis compared with boys vaccinated after their first month of life or not at all. (George, 6/12)
In other scientific developments 鈥
Three days of chemotherapy gave Damon Williams so many mouth sores that he couldn鈥檛 swallow his own saliva, much less eat. His skin darkened. His hair fell out. He was so dizzy a nurse had to steady him when he stood up. 鈥淚t left a wake of destruction,鈥 said Williams last week from his bed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. It鈥檚 not the worst pain he鈥檚 been through, though. Not even close. (Schrappen, 6/13)
Diabetes was linked with an increased risk of death among transplant recipients of four major organs, with pre-existing and new-onset diabetes both implicated, a comprehensive analysis of four types of solid-organ transplant recipients suggested. Compared with recipients who never had diabetes, those who developed new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) had a significantly higher risk of mortality over a 10-year follow-up, reported Mishal Ali, BA, of the University of Chicago. (Monaco, 6/14)
Few men prescribed testosterone therapy received guideline-concordant diagnostic testing for androgen deficiency, and some received therapy despite contraindications, a retrospective chart review indicated. In a random sample of 200 male patients cared for at a single institution, only 12% underwent testing according to the Endocrine Society's recommendations. (Monaco, 6/14)
One in 12 patients with incident hypertension screened positive for primary aldosteronism, suggesting expanded screening may boost detection, according to a real-world cohort study. (Monaco, 6/14)
New research has revealed a strain of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria spreading in older women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) across the United States, researchers reported yesterday in Nature Communications. (Dall, 6/12)
Remotely monitoring patients after sepsis or an infection failed to reduce hospital readmissions, according to a study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. The randomized clinical trial looked at traditional hospital follow-up compared to four remote interventions to determine if patients benefitted. (Holohan, 6/12)
