Articles of Interest

December 29, 2006


This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:


AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
Lautenbach E, Tolomeo P, Mao X, et al. Duration of outpatient fecal colonization due to Escherichia coli isolates with decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones: longitudinal study of patients recently discharged form the hospital. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2006 Nov; 50(11):3939-43. [Supported by grant U18 HS10399.]

Critical Care Medicine
Angus DC, Clermont G, Linde-Zwirble WT, et al. Healthcare costs and long-term outcomes after acute respiratory distress syndrome: a phase III trial of inhaled nitric oxide. Crit Care Med 2006 Dec; 34(12):2883-90. [Supported by grant R01 HS/HL11620-01 from AHRQ and NHLBI.]

European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
Burke LE, Kim Y, Senuzun F, et al. Evaluation of the shortened Cholesterol-Lowering Diet Self-Efficacy Scale. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2006 Dec; 5(4):264-74. [Supported by grant R03 HS08891.]

Heart Rhythm
Indik JH, Pearson EC, Fried K, et al. Bazett and Fridericia QT correction formulas interfere with measurement of drug-induced changes in QT interval. Heart Rhythm 2006 Sep; 1003-7. [Supported by CERTs cooperative agreement HS10385.]

Hypertension
Ma J, Lee KV, Stafford RS. Changes in antihypertensive prescribing during US outpatient visits for uncomplicated hypertension between 1993 and 2004. Hypertension 2006 Nov; 48(5):846-52. [Supported by grant R01 HS11313.]

JAMA
Kushel MB, Miaskowski C. End-of-life care for homeless patients: she says she is there to help me in any situation. JAMA 2006 Dec; 27; 296(24):2959-66. [Supported by grant K08 HS011415.]

Journal of Adolescent Health
Camenga DR, Klein JD, Roy J. The changing risk profile of the American adolescent smoker: implications for prevention programs and tobacco interventions. J Adolesc Health 2006 Jul; 39(1):120 e1-10. [Supported by grant R03 HS014419-01.]

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Reyes-Ortiz CA, Goodwin JS, Freeman JL, et al. Socioeconomic status and survival in older patients with melanoma. J Am Geriatr Soc 2006 Nov; 54(11):1758-1764. [Supported by grant R24 HS11618-04.]

Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
Winstead NS, Willard SG. Gastrointestinal complaints in patients with eating disorders. J Clin Gastroenterol 2006 Sep; 40(8):678-82. [Supported by grant 5 T32 HS013852.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Kushel MB, Gupta R, Gee L, et al. Housing instability and food insecurity as barriers to health care among low-income Americans. J Gen Intern Med 2006 Jan; 21(1):71-7. [Supported by grant K08 HS011415-03.]

Journal of Medical Genetics
Chretien JP, Coresh J. Berthier-Schaad Y, et al. Three single—nucleotide polymorphisms in LPA account for most of the increase in lipoprotein(a) level elevation in African Americans compared with European Americans. J Med Genet 2006 Dec; 43(12):917-23. [Supported by grant R01 HS62985.]

Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Shahinian VB, Kuo YF, Freeman JL, et al. Determinants of androgen deprivation therapy use for prostate cancer: role of the urologist. J Natl Cancer Inst 2006 Jun 21; 98(12):839-45. [Supported by grant R24 HS011618.]

Medical Decision Making
Ditto PH, Jacobson JA, Smucker WD, et al. Context changes choices: a prospective study of the effects of hospitalization on life-sustaining treatment preferences. Med Decis Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):313-22. [Supported by grant HS08180.]

Swan JS, Lawrence W, Roy J. Process utility in breast biopsy. Med Dec Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):347-59. [Second author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence.]

Hanmer J, Lawrence WF, Anderson JP, et al. Report of nationally representative values for the noninstitutionalized US adult population for 7 health-related quality-of-life scores. Med Decis Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):391-400. [Supported by grant HS000083; second author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence; uses 2001 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data.]

Shechter SM, Schaefer AJ, Braithwaite RS, et al. Increasing the efficiency of Monte Carlo cohort simulations with variance reduction techniques. Med Decis Making 2006 Sep-Oct; 26(5):550-3. [Supported by grant R01 HS09694.]

New England Journal of Medicine
Pronovost P, Needham D, Berenholtz S, et al. An intervention to decrease catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU. N Engl J Med 2006 Dec 28; 355(26):2725-32. [Supported by grant 1 UC1 HS14246.]

Preventive Medicine
Reyes-Ortiz CA, Freeman JL, Pelaez M, et al. Mammography use among older women of seven Latin American and Caribbean cities. Prev Med 2006 May; 42(5):375-80. [Supported by grant R24 HS011618.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

BNAs Health Care Policy Report
Group suggests NHIN should build in clinical research capabilities to speed cures. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2006 Dec 25; 14(50):1633. [Reviews report based on findings and recommendations from a May 2006 conference on the AHRQ-cosponsored Nationwide Health Information Network.]

Critical Care Medicine
Huang DT, Clermont G, Sexton JB, et al. Perceptions of safety culture vary across the intensive care units of a single institution. Crit Care Med 2007 Jan; 35(1):165-76. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Sexton, et al. (BMJ, 2000 and BMC Health Serv Res, 2006), Knaus, et al. (Ann Intern Med, 1986), Thomas, et al. (BMC Health Serv Res, 2005), and Pronovst, et al. (J Patient Saf, 2005).]

JAMA
Hampton T. Health Agencies Update: patient safety tips JAMA 2006 Dec 27; 296(24):2916. [Summarizes new brief based on AHRQ publication, 10 Patient Safety Tips for Hospitals, 2006.]

Medical Decision Making
Feeny D. As good as it gets but good enough for which applications? Med Decis Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):310-2. [Notes articles use of MEPS data.] Revicki DA. National health preference data: a useful resource health service research. Med Decis Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):310-2. [Notes articles use of MEPS data.]

Supportive Care in Cancer
Ripamonti C, Fagnoni E, Campa T, et al. Is the use of transdermal fentanyl inappropriate according to the WHO guidelines and the EAPC recommendations? A study of cancer patients in Italy. Support Care Cancer 2006 May; 14(5):400-7. [Notes recommendations from AHRQ guideline, Management of Cancer Pain, 1994: The oral route is the preferred route of analgesic administration because it is the most convenient and cost-effective method of administration. When patients cannot take medications orally, rectal and transdermal routes should also be considered because they are also relatively noninvasive.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Merenstein D, Daumit GL, Powe NR. Use and costs of nonrecommended tests during routine preventive health exams. Am J Prev Med 2006 Jun; 30(6):521-7. [Uses USPSTF recommendations (as posted on AHRQ Web site) as a measure of appropriateness of diagnostic interventions during preventive health exams.]

Maciosek MV, Coffield AB, Edwards NM, et al. Priorities among effective clinical preventive services: results of a systematic review and analysis. Am J Prev Med 2006 Jul; 31(1):52-61. [Updates a 2001 ranking of clinical preventive services necessitated by new USPSTF recommendations and based on analysis of services defined by the USPSTF; supported by AHRQ (no grant or contract number given).]

Maciosek MV, Solberg LI, Coffield AB, et al. Influenza vaccination: health impact and cost effectiveness among adults aged 50 to 64 and 65 and older. Am J Prev Med 2006 Jul; 31(1):72-9. [Updates a 2001 ranking of clinical preventive services necessitated by new USPSTF recommendations and based on analysis of services defined by the USPSTF; supported by AHRQ (no grant or contract number given).]

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Turner AP, Williams RM, Bowen JD, et al. Suicidal ideation in multiple sclerosis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2006 Aug; 87(8):1073-78. [Uses the USPSTF 2-question depression screen given in USPSTF recommendation, Screening for Depression, on AHRQ Web site, and cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for suicide risk in adults (Gaynes, et al, Ann Intern Med, 2004).]

Canadian Family Physician
Milone SD, Milone SL. Evidence-based periodic health examination of adults. Can Fam Physician 2006 Jan 10; 52(1):40-7. [Uses USPSTF recommendations as part of memory aid for family physicians.]

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
Richmond TK, Freed GL, Clark SJ, et al. Guidelines for adolescent well care: is there consensus? Curr Opin Pediatr 2006 Aug; 18(4):365-70. [Uses USPSTF recommendations for adolescent preventive services (as published in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2005, on AHRQ Web site) as one of seven sets of measures compared for coverage and consistency.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Ross JS, Forsyth BA, Rosenbaum JR. Brief report: Housestaff adherence to cervical cancer screening recommendations. J Gen Intern Med 2006 Jan; 21(1):68-70. [Assesses adherence to USPSTF cervical cancer screening recommendations, as posted on AHRQ Web site.]

Journal of Midwifery and Womens Health
Wier FA, Farley CL. Clinical controversies in screening women for thyroid disorders during pregnancy. J Midwifery Womens Health 2006 May-Jun; 51(3):152-8. [Compares thyroid screening guidelines issued by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) with recommendations from the USPSTF (as posted on AHRQ Web site), and notes that the USPSTF did not endorse the AACE guidelines.]

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Increased use of colorectal cancer tests—United States, 2002 and 2004. MMWR Morb Mort Wkly Rep 2006 Mar 24; 55(11):308-11. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on colorectal cancer screening on AHRQ Web site and in article by Pignone, et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2002).]

New England Journal of Medicine
Wenzel RP, Edmond MB. Team-based prevention of catheter-related infections. N Engl J Med 2006 Dec 28; 355(26):2781-3. [Reviews and comments on AHRQ-funded article by Pronovost, et al. (N Engl J Med, 2006), described by the editors as a remarkable interventional cohort study; describes the strength-of-evidence rating system used by the USPSTF and concludes that this quasi-experimental study would warrant the designation of level B evidence by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine while the real-world efficiency-in Cochrane's lexicon-of the intervention was extraordinary, an A according to most standards.]

Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Hollander D. Young adults who lack continuous health insurance coverage have an elevated risk of chlamydia infection. Perspect Sex Reprod Health 2006 Dec; 38(4):229-30. [Reviews findings from study which recommends that providers should be encouraged to follow the chlamydia screening recommendations issued by" the CDC and the USPSTF.]

Preventing Chronic Disease
Town M, Naimi TS, Mokdad AH, et al. Health care access among U.S. adults who drink alcohol excessively: missed opportunities for prevention. Prev Chronic Dis 2006 Apr; 3(2):A53. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on alcohol screening among primary care patients (as posted on AHRQ Web site), and notes that this screening is rarely performed in spite of USPSTFs affirmative recommendations.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Pediatrics
Rischitelli G, Nygren P, Bougatsos C, et al. Screening for elevated lead levels in childhood and pregnancy: an updated summary of evidence for the US Preventive Services Task Force. Pediatrics 2006 Dec; 118(6):e1867-95. [Prepared by Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center under contract 290-02-0024; acknowledges support of Iris Mabry, researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships.]

Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Evidence Based Dentistry
Coulthard P. Conscious sedation guidance. Evid Based Dent 2006; 7(4):90-1. [Uses AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ as a source for applicable guidelines.]

Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
Lehmann CL, Arons RR, Loder RT, et al. The epidemiology of slipped capital femoral epiphysis: an update. J Pediatr Orthop 2006 May-Jun; 26(3):286-90. [Uses AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Kids Inpatient Database (KID).]

Medical Decision Making
Sullivan PW, Ghushchyan V. Mapping the EQ-5D index from the SF-12: U.S. general population preferences in a national representative sample. Med Decis Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):401-9. [Uses MEPS 2000.]

Sullivan PW, Ghushchyan V. Preference-based EQ-5D index scores for chronic conditions in the United States. Med Decis Making 2006 Jul-Aug; 26(4):410-20. [Uses MEPS 2000-2002.]


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