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Surgical patients with chronic psychological symptoms require psychotherapeutic treatment

In their study, the research group, headed by Privatdozent Dr. Henning Krampe, psychologist at the Charité Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Prof. Claudia Spies, Director of the Charité Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine and Prof. Elmar Brähler, Head of the Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology at the University of Leipzig, initially recorded how many patients faced by a forthcoming operation were interested in psychotherapy sessions and to what extent this interest was associated with the increased psychological distress occurring before the operation. Finally, the scientists examined whether changes in the psychological symptoms took place during the six months following the surgery.

10 Dec 2012

Delirium associated with higher mortality rates

A new meta-analysis has found that delirium, a condition developed by many patients in hospital intensive care units (ICU), is associated with higher mortality rates, more complications, longer stays in the ICU, and longer hospitalizations.

10 Dec 2012

Scientists isolate previously unknown protein in skeletal muscle

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have isolated a previously unknown protein in muscles that spurs their growth and increased power following resistance exercise. They suggest that artificially raising the protein's levels might someday help prevent muscle loss caused by cancer, prolonged inactivity in hospital patients, and aging.

7 Dec 2012

Study calls for reform of Medicare reimbursement rates and hospice eligibility requirements

In the first national survey of enrollment policies at hospices, researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Yale University have found that the vast majority of hospices in the United States have at least one enrollment policy that could restrict access for terminally ill Medicare patients with high-cost medical needs.

5 Dec 2012

Rethinking therapy decisions in autoimmune encephalopathy

Researchers say that diagnosis and management of encephalopathies may need to be rethought, as many patients who test negative for the relevant antibody still benefit from immunotherapy.

4 Dec 2012

Talk is cheap for tackling wasteful emergency diagnostics

An intervention as simple as a staff discussion during a general meeting results in a large reduction in the number of unnecessary diagnostic tests ordered by emergency physicians, say Brazilian researchers.

4 Dec 2012

Swedish Medical Center/First Hill named among Leapfrog Group's 2012 Top Hospitals

The Leapfrog Group's annual class of 'Top Hospitals' – just 89 from a field of nearly 1,200 – will be announced today in Baltimore, Md., and includes Swedish Medical Center/First Hill for the third year in a row. The announcement will take place at Leapfrog's Annual Meeting.

4 Dec 2012

Children's Medical Center NICU receives Level IV designation

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's Medical Center has been designated a Level IV NICU, the highest qualification for such programs, as established by the American Academy of Pediatrics under newly revised standards.

30 Nov 2012

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies launches new blog for health and wellness

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies is launching a new blog for health and wellness called According to Winnie, an informative and interactive online community where women can join conversations on healthcare, prevention and wellness, dieting, recipes, family health, and more.

29 Nov 2012

Cry acoustics may help identify infants at risk of autism

Autism is a poorly understood family of related conditions. People with autism generally lack normal social interaction skills and engage in a variety of unusual and often characteristic behaviors, such as repetitive movements. While there is no specific medical treatment for autism, some success has been shown with early behavioral intervention.

28 Nov 2012

ABCA3 gene associated with respiratory distress syndrome in babies

Some infants are more susceptible to potentially life-threatening breathing problems after birth, and rare, inherited DNA differences may explain why, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

28 Nov 2012

Ultrasound puts emergency lines in the right place

Training emergency department staff in use of ultrasound to guide difficult peripheral intravenous catheter placement appears to reduce the unnecessary use of central venous lines, a study suggests.

27 Nov 2012

Simple measures halve ventilator-associated pneumonia

Adding a bundle of low-cost interventions to surveillance significantly reduces rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia in adult intensive care units in developing countries, shows an international study.

27 Nov 2012

Anesthetics can help reduce risk of cardiac surgery drug-associated seizures

Two drugs commonly given during cardiac surgery can lead to convulsive seizures, but anesthetics can help cut the risk, according to new research from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

27 Nov 2012

ICU use, outcomes vary globally

Intensive care unit use varies significantly between the USA and Europe, raising important questions about approaches to the critical care of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, say researchers.

26 Nov 2012

Using supplemental nurses is not bad for patients

The use of supplemental registered nurses to cover staffing shortages has no adverse effects on patient outcomes including in-hospital mortality, medication errors, falls, pressure ulcers, and patient satisfaction with nurses, show US study results.

23 Nov 2012

Inhaled nitric oxide reduces adverse effects of stored blood transfusion in mice

Inhaled nitric oxide reduced the adverse effects of transfusing stored blood in mice, according to a study from the December issue of Anesthesiology. Researchers found that inhaled nitric oxide reduced tissue injury and improved short-term survival in mice that were resuscitated with a stored blood transfusion after hemorrhagic shock.

22 Nov 2012

Music therapy can be beneficial to patients before and after surgical procedures

A new study review published by the University of Kentucky found that music therapy can be beneficial to patients before, during and after a surgical procedure and may reduce pain and recovery time.

20 Nov 2012

Walgreens community-based programs help raise more than $1.3M in 2012 for JDRF

Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain, and JDRF, the world's largest charitable funder of research toward curing, treating, and preventing type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications, today announced that Walgreens community-based programs helped raise more than $1.3 million in 2012 for JDRF.

17 Nov 2012

Semprus BioSciences to develop surface-modified endotracheal tube

Teleflex Incorporated, a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, has announced that Semprus BioSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated, has been awarded the initial phase of a $2.3 million research grant from the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), located at Fort Detrick, MD.

9 Nov 2012