2021 TT HealthWatch Archive

TT HealthWatch - Friday, December 31, 2021

This week's topics include final results on a Chinese adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccine, early use of remdesivir in outpatients with COVID-19, use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19, and the impact of boosters in COVID-19 disease.

0:51 Vaccine booster impact in COVID-19
1:54 90% lower mortality
2:54 Shedding much more germane in unvaccinated
3:10 Recombinant adenovirus vector vaccine
4:10 Refrigerator stable, single dose
5:13 In men better than in women
6:14 Remdesivir in outpatients
7:12 Had risk factors
8:15 Doesn't cause reactions
9:10 May be able to give orally
9:19 Convalescent plasma in early COVID-19
10:02 Reduced hospitalizations by 50%
11:01 Didn't have high enough levels of antibodies
13:00 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, December 24, 2021

This week's topics include therapeutic drug monitoring in those with autoimmune disease, myocarditis and pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, and cigar sales in convenience stores in the US.

0:37 Myocarditis and pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination
1:35 Most under age of 40 and second dose
2:33 Rare side effects will emerge
2:50 Autoimmune disease treatment management
3:50 Used infliximab in a range of autoimmune conditions
4:50 TDM helps maintain infliximab efficacy
5:50 Insurance requires preauthorization
6:50 Anticoagulant therapy in atrial fibrillation
7:50 Rivaroxiban more likely to have strokes
8:50 Missing a dose leaves people uncovered
9:26 Cigar sales in convenience stores
10:26 Flavored sales increased
11:03 Two to three cigars sold together
12:05 FDA proposed a ban
13:03 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, December 17, 2021

This week's topic is the annual BMJ Christmas issue.

0:33 BMJ Christmas issue
1:00 Artificial intelligence and titles of papers
2:00 Real title or AI generated?
3:00 Times of day or night for dental appointments
3:17 Aging trajectories of superheroes
4:17 Undertake HIIT
5:18 Like how they did study
5:35 Rocket science or brain surgery
6:35 Compared engineers to neurosurgeons
7:15 A hip-hop song and suicidality
8:17 Lifeline received excess calls
9:18 Protective effect of stories of hope and recovery
10:48 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, December 3, 2021

This week's topics include predicting COVID-19 mortality, immunity following COVID-19 vaccination, surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer, and FDA oversight of medical devices.

0:34 Waning immunity from COVID-19 after vaccination
1:34 Who developed breakthrough infections?
2:34 Doesn't address severity of infection
3:37 Some vaccines not directed to the spike protein
3:55 Predictors of COVID-19 death
4:55 Elevated cytokines and tissue injury markers
5:50 Even by day five vRNA predicts
6:36 Scrutiny of medical devices by FDA
7:36 Approved using 510K
8:36 Device creep
9:26 Recurrent ovarian cancer and second surgeries
10:26 Surgery with platinum-based chemo
11:28 Carefully selected population
12:27 Change in chemotherapy?
13:36 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, November 26, 2021

This week's topics include risk of stillbirth with COVID-19, rising obesity in emerging adults, PRP for knee osteoarthritis, and testing embryos prior to implantation.

0:42 Stillbirth and Covid
1:42 Four times higher with infection
2:42 Get vaccine when planning pregnancy
3:05 Obesity in emerging adults
4:05 Four standard BMI groups
5:05 Normal weight decreased
5:42 Testing implantation embryos in IVF
6:43 Detect abnormal chromosome count
7:43 Fair amount of information just by looking
8:00 Injection of platelet rich plasma in knee osteoarthritis
9:00 Symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis
10:00 Lots of growth factors
11:00 Placebo patients also felt better
12:26 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, November 19, 2021

This week's topics include a new blood thinner, COVID-19 and flu vaccines together, and a new COVID-19 vaccine, blood pressure lowering and diabetes risk, and apoB for prediction of heart disease risk.

0:40 Flu and COVID-19 shots together? And a new COVID-19 vaccine
1:40 India creating its own vaccine
2:41 Flu and COVID-19 vaccines together
3:41 Reduces barriers to vaccination
4:00 Treating high blood pressure to reduce development of Type 2 diabetes
5:00 ACE inhibitors and ARBs only
6:01 Follow up when people start on diuretics
6:50 Prevention of VTE with a new blood thinner
7:50 Less likely to cause bleeding
8:26 ApoB instead of LDL and triglycerides
9:30 Easy to measure
10:38 Just going to measure apoB
11:18 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, November 12, 2021

This week's topics include long-haul symptoms of COVID-19 and seropositivity, bypass or stent for three-vessel disease, the 100,000 genome project, and stress and the heart.

0:42 The mind and the heart
1:42 Give a three-minute speech and blood flow to the heart
2:44 More likely to have heart attacks and heart failure
3:44 Akin to broken heart syndrome
4:30 Seropositivity, COVID-19 and persistent symptoms
5:33 Persistent physical symptoms may be associated more with belief
6:33 What to do with this?
7:06 Best treatment for multivessel coronary disease
8:07 Bypass surgery superior
9:10 The 100,000 genomes pilot on rare diseases
10:10 Gene panels, phenotypes
11:29 National Health Service in England
12:55 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, November 5, 2021

This week's topics include vaccine after COVID-19, COVID-19 infection after a third dose of vaccine, maternal use of antidepressants during pregnancy and childhood outcomes, and a new agent to treat COVID-19 infection.

0:41 Vaccination versus infection,
1:41 Makes intuitive sense
2:45 Infectivity of vaccinated people
3:19 Third dose of COVID-19 vaccine impact
4:20 Very large dataset
5:20 Using an existing vaccine
6:04 A new monoclonal antibody for COVID-19
7:02 Attaches to a site that doesn't mutate
8:03 If this is a part that doesn't mutate why not vaccine target?
8:45 Impact of maternal antidepressant use
9:43 10,000 children born to moms who filled antidepressant scripts
10:34 9% of women develop depression during pregnancy
12:00 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, October 29, 2021

This week's topics include AI and bias, dietary calcium and protein and falls in the elderly, prescription drugs for mental health during the pandemic, and an SSRI for COVID-19.

0:42 Prescription drugs for mental health during the pandemic
1:44 Women had a higher rate of prescriptions
2:44 Increased risk of ED visits
3:44 Habit after pandemic?
4:01 Bias in AI
5:03 Different diagnostic and prognostic models
6:03 Used to create definition
7:10 SSRI fluvoxamine and COVID-19
8:10 741 patients treated and about the same control
9:10 Only second medication for those considered at high risk
10:08 Retrospective analysis of those already on SSRIs
10:25 Dietary calcium and protein in older adults
11:25 Additional milk, yogurt and cheese
12:25 Obligatory calcium and protein requirements
13:27 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, October 22, 2021

This week's topics include salt in the diet, responses to current COVID-19 vaccines, aspirin and CVD, and NASH and a new agent for treating it.

0:35 Immune responses to current COVID-19 vaccines
1:35 Two mRNA vaccines titer higher with Moderna
2:35 Challenge with live virus
3:22 Salt in the diet
4:22 Bacon in the UK remains highest
5:23 FDA voluntary efforts to reduce salt
6:20 Prevent up to half a million premature deaths
6:45 USPSTF preliminary guidance on aspirin
7:45 Costs higher than benefits for some
8:45 Taking anti-hypertensive meds
9:01 Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
10:01 A quarter of the world's population affected
11:02 pan-PPAR agonist
12:05 Helped at the 1200 mg dose
13:52 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, October 15, 2021

This week's topics include crowdsourcing COVID-19 data, COVID-19 transmission among immune and nonimmune household members, the impact of changed USPSTF guidelines for lung cancer screening, and mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

0:42 Crowdsourcing COVID-19 data
1:42 Publicly available information
2:42 Transfer to other questions
3:00 Household transmission of COVID-19
4:01 Transmission to nonimmune family members
5:01 Trying to reduce risk for the largest number of people
6:00 COVID-19 and depression and anxiety
7:00 Increased in both by about 25%
8:01 Telehealth helping
9:02 Impact of changes in USPSTF guidelines for lung cancer
10:02 Included lower comorbidity burden
11:15 Early detection and decreasing disparity
12:29 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, October 8, 2021

This week's topics include obesity management for primary treatment of Type 2 diabetes, COVID-19 containment in overnight camps for kids, medication mishaps and ED visits, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease over the last 20 years in the U.S.

0:40 Overnight camp strategies to reduce COVID-19 infection,
1:43 Cohort to keep together
2:43 Quite practical and doable
3:00 Trends in cardiovascular risk factors
4:00 Blacks and Hispanics at higher risk
5:00 Social issues under our control
6:02 Trends seem to be treading water
6:15 Medications and ED visits
7:19 Under 25 most are non-therapeutic
8:00 Obesity control as primary treatment goal for T2D
9:00 Weight centric approach
10:00 Increased inflammation, resistant to insulin
11:00 Requires huge change in practice management
12:40 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, October 1, 2021

This week's topics include pay for clinical trials, hospitalizations and death among COVID-19 vaccinated people, using catheter techniques for valve replacement in some people, and how long cancer drugs that have had accelerated approval but found not useful remain on the market.

0:56 Vaccination and hospitalization and death in COVID-19
1:53 Less than 4% of hospitalized people
2:51 Do preventative social things
3:07 Accelerated approval for cancer drugs but not proven efficacious
4:07 Failed in post-approval trials
5:07 Use of surrogate markers
6:08 Confirmatory trials also use surrogates
6:45 TAVR in subpopulations
7:45 Use in younger patients
8:45 Mechanical valves with catheters?
9:12 Incentivize for clinical trials?
10:18 Incentives increased consent rates in smoking cessation trial
11:10 Begs issue of social justice
12:06 Why smoking cessation but not ambulation?
13:01 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, September 24, 2021

This week's topics include probiotics for ventilator associated pneumonia, artemisinin resistant malaria, school testing for COVID-19, and rural hospital mergers.

0:42 School-based testing for COVID-19
1:48 Really no difference between home isolation and school testing
2:40 Kids find it troubling not to be in school
3:05 Artemisinin resistant malaria in Uganda
4:05 Prolonged clearance time of parasite
5:05 First resistant to chloroquine
6:03 Hospital mergers in rural areas and care
7:05 Non-rehab hospitals
8:06 Standardization may improve outcomes
9:01 Probiotics for ventilator associated pneumonia
10:05 Twice daily while in ICU
11:45 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, September 17, 2021

This week's topics include screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea, whether COVID-19 boosters are needed, hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 among vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, and a vaccine for Zika.

0:36 Vaccination status and COVID-19
1:37 Vaccine very effective at preventing hospitalization and death
2:32 Boosters are not needed
3:31 Primary goal should be to get most fully vaccinated
4:36 Short follow up
5:35 A Zika vaccine
6:35 With electroporation
7:35 Novel development
8:21 USPSTF on screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea
9:21 Asymptomatic infections in men generally
10:20 STIs have increased to a 20-year high
11:46 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, September 10, 2021

This week's topics include the value of finding atrial fibrillation in those at risk for stroke, social factors in USPSTF recommendations, giving a flu shot to those who've had an MI, and treating carotid stenosis.

0:54 Stroke prevention via treating carotid stenosis
1:48 All had good medical therapy afterward
2:50 Avoid atherosclerosis in carotids
3:32 Flu vaccine after MI
4:30 All cause death lower in flu vaccine group
5:31 Reduces future heart attacks
6:32 Discern the mechanism?
7:00 Atrial fibrillation identification and stroke
8:00 Implantable loop recorder identified
9:00 Those with high blood pressure
9:15 USPSTF on social factors impacting health
10:15 Came down to five questions to examine
11:20 Very start of the social risk factors path
12:39 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, September 3, 2021

This week's topics include salt reduction and tight blood pressure control, long-term sequelae of COVID-19, overdiagnosis of kidney disease in older adults, and is the Delta variant more serious?

0:40 The Delta variant
1:33 Twice as likely to require hospitalization
2:37 Vaccines known to reduce severity
2:48 Salt substitution and tight blood pressure control
3:48 Tight blood pressure control in those with hypertension
4:49 How applicable are these studies?
5:48 Can get blood pressure below 130
6:48 Some not responsive to salt
7:48 6 month consequences of COVID-19
8:45 Women were twice as likely to have long term symptoms
9:40 Overdiagnosis of kidney disease in older adults
10:42 Current criterion needs to be modified
11:59 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, August 27, 2021

This week's topics include rates of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in U.S. youths, new USPSTF recommendations on screening for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, antibody levels and COVID-19 infection, and a universal vaccine for sarbecoviruses.

0:41 Antibodies and COVID-19 immunity
1:44 Inverse relationship between antibodies and infection
2:45 Antibodies to wild type
3:45 Not only antibody levels important
4:10 Screening for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes
5:10 Moved to begin screening at 35
6:10 Less than 25% properly controlled
6:45 A pan-sarbecovirus vaccine
7:47 Develop a vaccine against parent-level virus
8:47 Like a universal influenza vaccine
9:15 Increased Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in young people
10:22 Type 2 increased 100%
11:35 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, August 20, 2021

This week's topics include wildfire smoke and COVID-19, metabolic rate throughout the lifespan, a new agent for migraines, and minority disparities in health care.

0:32 Wildfires and COVID-19
1:35 Increase of almost half a million exposures per year
2:32 Strong evidence of strong association with death
3:30 Wildfires increase inflammation
4:12 Health care inequities

5:15 2.4 trillion dollars spent
6:15 Outpatient versus inpatient
7:00 Daily energy expenditure through the life course
8:02 Four distinct phases of life
9:01 90 years and older
10:01 Many implications for recommendations
10:18 New treatment for migraines
11:10 Oral agent for prevention
12:11 What percentage of migraine sufferers?
13:03 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, August 13, 2021

This week's topics include the impact of preoperative isolation, ultraprocessed foods in youth, gestational diabetes detection, and epinephrine in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

0:40 Preoperative isolation and lung complications
1:40 About 2% of patients
2:40 Getting deconditioned
3:40 Cardiac arrest and epinephrine
4:41 When was epinephrine given?
5:42 EMS and invasive interventions in the field
6:40 Update to detection of gestational diabetes
7:40 At 24 weeks or after
8:41 Incidence range depending on risk category
9:40 Metabolomics instead
9:50 Ultraprocessed foods and youth
10:50 More so in Blacks and Mexican Americans
11:55 Youths consume a majority of daily calories ultraprocessed
13:04 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, August 6, 2021

This week's topics include what happens when a study is retracted, is spinal fusion necessary, tapering opioids, and FDA approval of medical devices.

0:40 Treatment of slipped discs
1:40 Hadn't responded to conservative therapy
2:40 Increase stiffness
3:25 Tapering opioid dosage
4:25 More overdose in those tapered
5:25 Willing to taper slowly
6:00 FDA approval of medical devices from 1976-2020
7:00 Class 3, lifesaving or life-harming potential
8:00 Can only deal with information you have
9:05 Approval in Europe faster
9:22 Retraction of studies and subsequent citation
10:25 Maintain attention scores
11:25 Cited in new articles
12:46 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, July 30, 2021

This week's topics include treatment of spinal muscular atrophy in infants, treatment of CMV infection in pregnancy and infant outcomes, complications of Type 2 diabetes in youth, and optimal timespan for aromatase inhibitor treatment in postmenopausal women with breast cancer.

1:02 Complications of Type 2 diabetes in youth
2:05 Many complications, at least one in 60%
3:05 Medications, a third one now
4:05 Noncompliance increased to 80%
4:15 How long should aromatase inhibitors be used?
5:15 Five years no better than two years
6:15 Treatment of type 1 spinal muscular atrophy
7:15 Increases a protein in the blood
8:17 $340,000 per year for treatment
9:18 Trial of hyperimmune globulin to prevent congenital CMV infection
10:18 Did not result in lower incidence of infection
11:30 Preterm births increased in treatment group
13:00 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, July 23, 2021

This week's topics include COVID vaccine efficacy in a VA population, a new medicine to treat psychosis in those with dementia, opioid prescribing differences between Blacks and Whites, and medical debt.

0:41 COVID vaccine efficacy in a VA population
1:42 Overall 97% efficacy
2:43 Delta variant extremely transmissible
3:40 Medical debt in the U.S.
4:40 About 18% had medical debt
5:40 Social determinants of health
6:40 Need universal access to health care
7:02 New treatment for psychosis in dementia
8:02 Affects serotonin receptors
9:02 Alzheimer's medicines
9:55 Racial inequality in prescription opioids
11:00 Mean annual dose for Blacks 36% lower
12:37 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, July 16, 2021

This week's topics include COVID-19 and autoantibodies, MRI and prostate cancer biopsy, use of an antibody in graft-versus-host disease, and treatment of opioid use disorder among Medicaid beneficiaries.

0:41 Autoantibodies to the exoproteosome
1:40 Collection of extracellular proteins
2:40 Antibody against interferon
3:50 MRI and prostate cancer biopsy
4:47 Decreased overdiagnosis
5:46 Cost and availability of MRI
6:47 Treatment of opioid use disorder in Medicaid recipients
7:46 Additional substance use disorders
8:46 Quality measures suggest it may not be effective
9:46 What can we do to help in states that are struggling?
10:22 Common complication of stem cell transplant treatment
11:35 Use of inhibitor increased response rate
12:46 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, July 9, 2021

This week's topics include an inactivated Sars-CoV2 vaccine in Chile, cytosine for smoking cessation, generic drug costs at Costco, and muscle relaxants for low back pain.

0:35 Inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in Chile
1:35 86% against death
2:35 Needed against variants
3:35 Ongoing in children
3:40 Using muscle relaxants in low back pain
4:40 Over 6000 participants
5:45 Disappointing in short term treatment
6:36 Generic drug costs at Costco versus Medicare
7:40 Medicare overspent
8:45 Intermediaries are reaping costs
9:21 Cytisine versus varenicline in smoking cessation
10:21 Varenicline less complex regimen
11:22 Cytisine better than placebo and nicotine patches
12:52 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, July 2, 2021

This week's topics include a look at diabetes nationally, a new treatment for celiac disease, a way forward with the most severe form of amyloidosis, and a blood test for multiple cancers.

0:50 Treatment of amyloidosis
1:53 Plus antibody 53% response
2:50 Side effects similar between two groups
3:25 A blood test for cancer
4:25 Specificity of 99%+
5:25 Better at solid tumors
6:02 Celiac disease treatment
7:02 Antibodies to an enzyme
8:03 Gluten-free diet
9:01 Trends in prevalence of diabetes
10:03 Maybe even higher now
11:05 Two out of three factors weren't controlled
12:02 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, June 25, 2021

This week's topics include mental health during COVID for caregivers, who's intended to get vaccinated among younger people, resistance to KRAS, and triglycerides and heart disease.

0:53 COVID vaccine intent in 18-39 year olds
1:52 Lived outside metropolitan areas
2:52 Initiatives to give paid time off
3:29 Caregiver's mental health and COVID
4:29 Suicidal ideation prominent
5:29 Tailored mental health services needed
6:00 Resistance to cancer drugs
7:00 Hoping for a single mechanism
8:00 Characterizing tumors as they are treated
8:30 Triglycerides and heart disease
9:31 No existing atherosclerosis
10:30 If you treat it can you prevent it?
11:55 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, June 18, 2021

This week's topics include SARS-CoV-2 in adults and children, cooling in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, sudden cardiac death in HIV-positive persons, and sports-related concussion.

0:41 SARS-CoV-2 infection in kids and adults
1:42 Analyzed 37,000 nasal swabs
2:42 Ways to stop transmission in schools
3:43 Benefits to wearing masks
3:53 Sports-related concussion
4:53 Certain sports have highest incidence
5:53 In the past thought rest was needed
6:53 Immediate seizures
7:10 Cooling after MI
8:10 Mortality the same
9:10 Dysregulation of thermoregulation
9:21 Sudden cardiac death in people with HIV
10:23 Less than half in those without HIV
11:23 Numbers too small
12:28 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, June 11, 2021

This week's topics include in utero management of a congenital lung problem, infecting mosquitoes to control Dengue, flu vaccines in pregnant women, and hospital at home for those with chronic illness.

0:50 Flu vaccines in pregnant women
1:51 Not associated with any adverse outcomes
2:48 Can't generalize to all vaccines
3:35 Hospital at home for people with chronic disease
4:33 No change in mortality
5:33 Presented to the ED
6:18 In utero treatment of left diaphragmatic hernia
7:18 Those severely affected increased survival to 40%
8:18 More often undertaken
8:36 Dengue management
9:36 8144 participants
10:36 Does the Wolbachia remain?
11:36 It's labor intensive
12:48 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, June 4, 2021

This week's topics include vaccinating adolescents for COVID-19, atrial fibrillation monitoring and stroke, the Indian COVID-19 variant in the U.K., and vaccinations and public health measures to control COVID-19 infection.

0:41 The Indian COVID-19 variant in the U.K.
1:41 When full vaccine schedule is followed
2:43 One dose not very effective
3:04 COVID-19 vaccines in adolescents
4:04 Large enough number of infections
5:04 Not for preventing severe disease
5:27 Vaccination and public health measures for COVID-19
6:28 If we continue both things
7:29 Incidence of flu
7:41 Monitoring after ischemic stroke for atrial fibrillation
8:41 Found in 12.1% with internal monitor
9:42 Should we implant everyone after stroke?
10:47 Most of the AF occurred months after stroke
12:22 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, May 28, 2021

This week's topics include kangaroo care for preterm infants, infections in prosthetic joints, guidelines for managing weight in pregnancy, and a treatment for “bubble boy” disease.

1:25 USPSTF on weight management in pregnancy
2:25 Behavioral counseling intervention
3:25 More time for higher intervention
4:06 Kangaroo care for preterm infants
5:06 Child placed skin to skin
6:10 Too dangerous?
6:45 Treating prosthetic joint infections
7:45 Six weeks won't work
8:45 Decrease antibiotic use
9:36 Gene therapy for SCID
10:40 Treated 50 patients
11:43 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, May 21, 2021

This week's topics include COVID-19 vaccines in health care workers, the proper dose of aspirin for cardiovascular disease prevention, heart disease in women, and the final results of the SPRINT trial.

0:34 American College of Cardiology
0:47 Covid vaccination in healthcare providers
1:49 Most in the hospital setting
2:42 Final SPRINT analysis
3:47 Tighter control beneficial
4:47 Worsening of kidney function
5:48 When people have side effects
6:15 Comparative effectiveness of two aspirin doses
7:15 Why did they drop their dose?
8:17 Other benefits to aspirin therapy
8:40 Cardiovascular disease in women
9:40 Ischemic heart disease the major cause of death
10:43 Heart failure increasing
11:26 Psychosocial issues
12:22 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, May 14, 2021

This week's topics include NSAIDs and COVID-19, neurological complications of COVID-19, use of antibiotics or tubes in middle ear infections and a new antibody for severe asthma.

0:38 NSAIDs and severe COVID-19
1:38 Cohorts that did use NSAIDs compared with not
2:38 Should we continue in hospitalized?
3:35 Neurologic manifestations of COVID-19
4:35 Almost 6 times more likely to die
5:25 Acute asthma and a new monoclonal
6:29 Fewer exacerbations with monoclonal
7:30 Doesn't require allergic type
7:45 Otitis media treatment
8:45 No difference in recurrent infections
9:45 Provide fodder for informed discussion
11:01 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, May 7, 2021

This week's topics include a nanoparticle vaccine for COVID-19, use of dexamethasone and surgical site infections, blood groups and disease propensity, and adverse events after vaccination for COVID-19.

0:38 Adverse events relative to the J&J vaccine
1:38 Syncope following injection
2:36 Primarily headaches
3:37 Clotting disorder after vaccination
4:37 Any neurological events
4:50 Dexamethasone and surgical site infection
5:51 Also had people with diabetes
6:53 Doesn't interfere with wound healing
7:09 A nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine
8:09 Two doses 21 days apart
9:09 Blood groups and disease propensity
10:09 No preset conceptions
11:07 49 associations with ABO and one with Rh
13:07 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, April 30, 2021

This week's topics include new hypertension guidelines, ongoing symptoms after mild or moderate COVID-19, a new medicine for people with severe kidney disease, and diabetes and risk of dementia.

0:45 Sequelae of mild or moderate COVID-19
1:46 Continuing care required
2:50 Cardiovascular issues
3:35 New hypertension guidelines
4:35 Awareness needed
5:32 May not have high blood pressure
6:32 Whether we're effectively treated
7:15 New medicine for chronic kidney disease
8:18 Almost 8,000 patients, some on dialysis
9:05 Dementia and diabetes
10:05 Younger age at onset associated
11:05 Lots of possible mechanisms
12:45 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, April 23, 2021

This week's topics include COVID-19 infection among Marine recruits, meditation for PTSD in veterans, hearing loss and physical activity in elders, and COVID-19 transmission in Israel after national vaccination.

0:38 If you've had COVID-19 can you get it again
1:35 Followed with repetitive testing
2:32 Fewer neutralizing antibodies
3:26 Hearing loss and physical activity in older adults
4:28 Less time spent in both vigorous and light activity
5:30 Tied to cognition
6:20 Does national immunization provide herd immunity?
7:23 Great evidence for benefit of national program
8:25 Need a number of strategies
9:25 Getting ahead worldwide
9:40 Meditation and PTSD
10:40 Look at own relationship to their trauma
11:25 Didn't help PTSD
12:16 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, April 16, 2021

This week's topics include cloth masks and exercise, psilocybin and depression, exercise and COVID-19 severity, and inflammatory diets.

0:49 Pause of J&J vaccine
1:12 Cloth face masks
2:12 Felt somewhat claustrophobic
3:01 Psilocybin in treating depression
4:03 Dosing psilocybin
5:01 Used to treat depression historically
6:01 Uncertainty regarding dose
6:35 Exercise and COVID-19
7:35 Direct correlation
8:35 Proxy for chronic disease?
9:15 Inflammation and diet
10:15 Associations with dietary patterns and microbial clusters
11:35 Red wine, coffee and tea helpful
12:58 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, April 9, 2021

This week's topics include blood clots and COVID-19, neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19, age at natural menopause in the U.S., and excess pandemic deaths.

0:40 Excess deaths in U.S. during pandemic
1:40 Think about the next pandemic
2:36 At highest risk for COVID-19 complications
3:35 VTE following COVID-19
4:38 0.8% of those with a positive result
5:39 Don't need prophylaxis in outpatients
6:20 Neuropsychiatric outcomes after COVID-19
7:21 If you were in the ICU
8:20 COVID-19 and CNS
8:55 Age at natural menopause
9:55 Mean age increased
10:55 Improvements in health and nutrition?
11:20 Longer you delay menopause
12:22 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, April 2, 2021

This week's topics include helmet ventilation, Ebola reactivation, interfering RNAs, and success of HPV vaccination.

0:37 Helmet ventilation in COVID-19
1:37 No difference in respiratory support
2:35 Little more difficult to use
3:35 Continue with high flow nasal oxygen
4:12 Ebola virus relapse
5:15 Can detect some virus
6:10 Success of HPV vaccine
7:10 97% reduction in prevalence
8:10 Been recommended for anyone 11-12 years old
9:15 Treatment with interfering RNA
10:15 Stop liver from making oxalate
11:15 Attached to a sugar
12:40 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, March 26, 2021

This week's topics include screening for hearing loss in older adults, aspirin and COVID-19, a diabetes drug for weight loss, and saliva testing for concussion.

0:35 Saliva testing for concussion
1:34 1000 rugby players
2:37 May be available soon
3:35 No results in women
4:01 Aspirin and COVID-19
5:01 No differences in major bleeding
6:01 On aspirin already don't need to discontinue
7:03 Diabetes medicine and weight loss
8:01 First run in period 11% weight loss
9:02 Injectable medicine
9:15 USPSTF on hearing loss assessment
10:16 Dramatic reduction in price of hearing aids
11:22 If people don't do anything about it
12:49 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, March 19, 2021

This week's topics include the AZ vaccine and the South African variant, spread of the UK variant in long-term care facilities, depression after COVID-19, and vaccine efficacy in solid organ transplant recipients.

0:44 Immunogenicity of vaccines in solid organ transplant recipients
1:44 Positive antibody test in 17%
2:44 Intensive immunosuppressive therapy
3:42 Pool small compared to general population
4:46 Vaccine efficacy against South Africa variant
5:46 Antibodies but not protective
6:48 Depression after COVID-19
7:48 Mean age 38 years
8:35 Variant spread in long term care facilities
9:35 Short time period
11:00 UK variant found domestically
12:03 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, March 12, 2021

This week's topics include the benefit of masks for COVID-19, diagnosing gestational diabetes, use of palliative care in both cancer and non-cancer illnesses, and CNS polypharmacy in adults with dementia.

0:40 Masks and COVID-19 transmission
1:40 Those states with a mandate decreased transmission
2:41 Prudent to hold off on relaxing mandates
3:15 CNS polypharmacy in those with dementia
4:18 Just shy of 14% met criteria
5:16 Some opioids also
6:15 Have apathy that doesn't respond
6:44 Use of palliative care in cancer and non-cancer diagnoses
7:48 In cancer patient initiated early, in the hospital
8:48 Education is necessary
9:40 Got it in last 30 days
9:55 Gestational diabetes screening
10:55 One step identified almost twice as many women
11:40 Treat the mom to improve outcomes for both
12:38 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, March 5, 2021

This week's topics include household transmission of COVID-19 tracked with EHRs, a single-dose vaccination study, providing housing to reduce hospital admissions due to COVID-19, and the burden of CVD and death relative to glycemic indices of foods.

0:38 Household transmission and the EHR
1:39 7300 index cases
2:28 Is scalable
3:14 Providing housing for homeless with COVID-19
4:15 75% men
5:15 Moved from EDs or sheltered areas
6:15 Comprehensive approach
6:28 Single-dose COVID-19 vaccination
7:28 Reduced death by 50%
8:33 Take any vaccine you can
9:10 Glycemic index, CVD and death
10:10 Higher BMI
11:10 Attributed to how much foods raise sugar
12:38 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, February 26, 2021

This week's topics include intervals for COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 transmission in schools, mental health impact of the pandemic, and occupational impact on COVID-19 infection.

0:40 Transmission of COVID-19 among schoolchildren
1:40 Almost 2,200 contacts
2:37 Infection differences in younger versus older children
3:11 Occupations and COVID-19 mortality risk
4:11 36% increase in Latinos
5:12 Treat their lives as essential
6:00 Mental health issues in the pandemic
7:01 Disorders highly prevalent in 18-24-year-olds
8:01 Need to be creative in providing services
9:01 First time with a disruption like the pandemic
10:00 Update on the AstraZeneca vaccine and interval
11:00 Initially was supposed to be a single dose
12:02 Antibodies against more of the spike protein
12:58 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, February 19, 2021

This week's topics include exercise for knee osteoarthritis, tocilizumab for COVID-19, gut flora and their role in health and disease, and heparin and COVID-19 infection.

0:41 Tocilizumab and Covid
1:46 All needed oxygen
2:48 How expensive?
3:18 Exercise and knee osteoarthritis
4:18 High or low intensity strength training
5:18 Very comprehensive study
6:18 Keeping people in the study for 18 months
6:38 Heparin for reducing blood clots in COVID-19
7:40 Subcutaneous injection
8:41 Study coming shortly
9:10 Human gut microbiome and health
10:10 Driven by healthy and plant based foods
11:10 Less of one bug in the gut may be associated with CVD
12:10 Is it a cause or an effect?
13:15 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, February 12, 2021

This week's topics include the benefits of masking for reducing hospitalizations, COVID-19 transmission in daycare centers, prediabetes in older adults, and COVID-19 misinformation and immunization.

0:40 Benefits of masking in reducing hospitalizations
1:40 99 counties in 14 states
2:40 Most older individuals wear masks already
3:30 Transmission of Sars-CoV2 in daycare centers
4:35 Overall seroprevalence examined
5:35 Kids transmission would be rampant
6:30 Most kids got it from home
6:40 Misinformation and vaccine hesitancy
7:40 54% in U.K. said they would take it before
8:40 What is a free press?
9:41 Prediabetes in older folks
10:41 HbA1c and progression examined
11:41 Didn't impact overall mortality
13:04 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, February 5, 2021

This week's topics include the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine update, long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection, and maternal fetal transmission of COVID-19 antibodies.

0:58 Russian vaccine
1:58 Robust T cell response
2:58 Prominent in mRNA also
3:13 AstraZeneca vaccine
4:13 Report efficacy of 66.7% overall
5:13 Natural experiment data
6:10 Do get additional antibody after second dose
6:50 Maternal fetal transmission of COVID-19 antibodies
7:50 More antibodies than the mother
8:50 Benefits outweigh risk
9:10 Long term sequelae of COVID-19
10:10 Diabetes at 4% in this study
11:12 Symptoms after acute phase
12:07 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, January 29, 2021

This week's topics include IUDs for emergency contraception, cardiovascular death after withdrawal of care, COVID-19 transmission in schools, and allergic reactions to the Moderna vaccine.

0:40 Potential for allergic reactions after Moderna vaccine
1:39 Previous history of allergic reaction
2:41 Resuscitation with epinephrine
3:40 Over 23 million doses so far
4:01 Two IUDs for emergency contraception
5:01 Non-inferiority trial
6:01 As effective as copper IUD
6:30 COVID-19 transmission in schools
7:31 Compared with community transmission
8:28 Could kids be safer in school?
9:16 Resumption of cardiac activity after life-support withdrawal
10:17 Incidence and timing of resumption
11:15 Some cardiac activity in 14%
12:15 All electrical activity ceases
13:15 Neurological definition of death
14:04 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, January 22, 2021

This week's topics include the impact of masks for interrupting COVID-19 transmission, oxygen levels in acute respiratory failure, smoking cessation update, and whether some blood pressure medicines should be stopped when someone has COVID-19.

0:41 The impact of masks
1:42 Usage varied across the U.S.
2:41 Targeted control measures
3:05 Oxygen targets in people with acute respiratory failure
4:05 Should we target lower or higher oxygen?
5:05 In COVID-19 does it inform?
5:45 Blood pressure medicines and COVID-19
6:45 Discontinuing did not improve outcome
7:31 Smoking cessation and USPSTF update
8:31 Need to use medicines
9:31 National survey shows only 1/3 used aids to quit
11:00 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, January 15, 2021

This week's topics include treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, symptoms six months after hospitalization for COVID-19, saliva versus nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnosis and antibodies against variants of SARS-CoV2.

0:48 Persistent symptoms following hospitalization for COVID-19
1:48 Lung problems seen
2:48 Give us opportunity to continue follow up
3:11 Saliva versus nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19
4:15 Almost eight percentage points lower with saliva
5:15 Could be a false negative
6:18 Bring up secretions from respiratory tract
7:15 Antibodies to variant of SARS-CoV2 from vaccination
8:17 Laboratory generated variant
9:15 mRNA technology can be rapidly adjusted
9:36 Methamphetamine use disorder
10:36 First stage half treated
11:36 Stimulant-like medicine
12:27 It's a 12-week study
13:08 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, January 8, 2021

This week's topics include convalescent plasma for early COVID-19, new dietary guidelines, a diabetes drug for graft versus host disease, and parsing COVID-19 vaccines.

0:45 Dietary guidelines
1:45 A lifespan approach
2:45 Make every bite count
3:44 Make easily remembered recommendations
4:00 Using convalescent plasma in early COVID-19
5:00 What are the barriers to using this?
6:01 This study sheds light
7:00 Avoiding graft versus host disease
8:01 Gave sitagliptin
9:01 An example of a beneficial side effect
9:16 Can we modify the COVID-19 vaccine dosing?
10:15 Still end up with better pandemic control
11:15 Getting more vaccine isn't the problem now
12:15 Protecting more people
13:14 End

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TT HealthWatch - Friday, January 1, 2021

This week's topics include the impact of taxing and not taxing sugary beverages, who is using telemedicine, how often those with antibodies get reinfected with SARS-CoV2, and health outcomes for wealthier Americans.

0:48 Do antibodies protect against COVID-19?
1:50 Reduction of about 90%
2:53 Second variant
3:22 Health outcomes of privileged U.S. citizens
4:24 Compared with 12 other developed countries
5:24 Can't buy our way out of subpar outcomes
6:26 Outcomes may not always be better
7:26 Patient characteristics associated with telemedicine access
8:28 Only half of scheduled visits completed
9:29 Historically for movement disorders
10:22 Beverage tax imposed and repealed
11:22 Public education needed
12:28 Tied to health consequences
13:50 End

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