Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pulmonology for May 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
THURSDAY, May 31, 2018 -- The widespread shortages of injectable opioids and small-volume parenteral (SVP) solutions are jeopardizing patient care and placing a strain on hospital operations, according to a report published by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
TUESDAY, May 29, 2018 -- Personalizing the harm-benefit assessment of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer can inform patient-centered screening decisions, according to a study published online May 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
TUESDAY, May 29, 2018 -- Most premature infants receive empirical antibiotic therapy, according to a study published online May 25 in JAMA Network Open.
FRIDAY, May 25, 2018 -- Outbreaks associated with treated recreational water with confirmed infectious etiology are usually caused by Cryptosporidium, Legionella, or Pseudomonas, according to research published in the May 18 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
FRIDAY, May 25, 2018 -- For patients with very severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), 60-day mortality is not significantly lower with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) than with continued conventional treatment, according to a study published online in the May 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 25, 2018 -- Long-term mortality after congenital heart surgery is higher than that of the general population for all forms of congenital heart defects (CHDs), according to a study published in the May 29 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
FRIDAY, May 25, 2018 -- Successful continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) use for obstructive sleep apnea may be associated with improved sexual quality of life (QOL), according to a study published online May 24 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- Patients served by the beleaguered Veterans Affairs health system may have wider access to private care, thanks to a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate. President Donald Trump is known to support the bill, which now awaits his signature.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- Financial incentives added to free cessation aids can improve the rate of sustained abstinence among smokers, according to a study published online May 23 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- Each hour of delay in detecting abnormal lactates in patients with sepsis increases the odds of in-hospital death, according to a study published online May 24 in CHEST.
THURSDAY, May 24, 2018 -- There is considerable global variation in personal health care access and quality, according to a study published online May 23 in The Lancet.
WEDNESDAY, May 23, 2018 -- Lung cancer incidence is higher among young women than young men, according to a study published in the May 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, May 23, 2018 -- Vitamin D sustained supplementation is associated with reduced recurrent wheezing among black infants born preterm, according to a study published in the May 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
WEDNESDAY, May 23, 2018 -- Pediatricians should advocate for life support training for children, parents, caregivers, school personnel, and the public, according to a technical report and policy statement published online May 23 in Pediatrics.
TUESDAY, May 22, 2018 -- Overall, 9.1 percent of individuals in the United States were uninsured in 2017, which was not significantly different from the level in 2016, according to a report published online May 22 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Centers for Health Statistics.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Stigmatizing language used in medical records to describe patients can influence medical students and residents in terms of their attitudes towards the patient and their clinical decision-making, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Waterpipe tobacco smoking (or hookah smoking) accounts for half of young adults' tobacco smoke exposure, according to a study published online May 16 in Tobacco Control.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- The drug abuse epidemic in the United States has been associated with an increase in the recovery of organs from brain-dead donors, according to a research letter published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Obesity is linked to an increased risk of smoking and an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked daily, according to a study published online May 16 in The BMJ.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Two novel immune-response clusters have been identified to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and they are associated with first- and second-year recurrent wheeze, according to a study published online May 7 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Multiple chemicals associated with endocrine disruption and asthma are contained in hair products used by black women and children, according to a study published online April 25 in Environmental Research.
THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Inhaled combined budesonide-formoterol used as needed is beneficial for mild asthma, according to two studies published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2018 -- A nonprofit manufacturer could help keep generic drug prices down and maintain their supply, according to a perspective piece published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2018 -- A high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common among older adults but is seldom investigated, though when it is investigated, it is almost always confirmed, according to a study published online May 9 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2018 -- Best practices have been developed for using electronic health records (EHRs) to enhance patient-centered care, according to an article published online in Medical Economics.
TUESDAY, May 15, 2018 -- From 1999 to 2014 there was a decrease in prescription medication use overall among children and adolescents, according to a study published in the May 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
TUESDAY, May 15, 2018 -- For children and younger adults with asthma, prevalence and admissions increase with deprivation, while mortality is inversely associated with deprivation, according to a study published online May 14 in Thorax.
MONDAY, May 14, 2018 -- Four lung cancer risk models perform best in selecting ever-smokers for screening, according to a study published online May 15 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 11, 2018 -- Cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (CKAP4) appears to be a novel serodiagnostic marker for lung cancer, with increased levels in lung cancer patients versus healthy controls, according to a study published online May 8 in The American Journal of Pathology.
FRIDAY, May 11, 2018 -- A multidisciplinary improvement initiative can reduce overuse of interventions for bronchiolitis, according to a study published online May 11 in Pediatrics.
THURSDAY, May 10, 2018 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched legal action to stop two stem cell clinics from providing unapproved treatments that have caused serious, long-term harm to some patients.
THURSDAY, May 10, 2018 -- Thirdhand smoke (THS), the chemical residue from cigarette smoke that attaches to anything and anyone in the vicinity of a smoke cloud, can still make its way into the air of buildings that currently have a non-smoking designation, according to a study published online May 9 in Science Advances.
TUESDAY, May 8, 2018 -- Regulatory requirements are likely to be an important aspect of physician dissatisfaction with electronic health records (EHRs) that is driving burnout, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online May 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 4, 2018 -- Children living in neighborhoods with low walkability are at increased risk of asthma, according to a study published online April 17 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
FRIDAY, May 4, 2018 -- Many organizations are not meeting the trial registration and results reporting requirements clarified by "The Final Rule," which had a compliance date of April 18, 2017, according to a study published online May 1 in BMC Medicine.
FRIDAY, May 4, 2018 -- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with thinning of the calvaria and skull base, according to a study published online May 3 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
WEDNESDAY, May 2, 2018 -- For hospitalized adults with serious illness, receiving a palliative care consultation (PCC) is associated with a reduction in hospital costs, according to a review published online April 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
TUESDAY, May 1, 2018 -- Physicians should be aware of the correct protocol for, as well as the laws involved in, firing employees, according to a report published in Medical Economics.