Medical

USPSTF publishes recommendations on preventing drug abuse among children and teens

Main Points:

Recommendation statement and evidence review on primary care interventions and drug abuse published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Published in:

Annals of Internal Medicine

Study Further:

The United States Preventive Services published its final recommendation statement on primary care interventions to prevent or reduce illicit drug and nonmedical pharmaceutical use in children and adolescents in Annals of Internal Medicine.

The USPSTF (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) conducted a systematic review of published evidence on interventions to help children and adolescents who have never used drugs to remain abstinent and interventions to help children and adolescents who are using drugs but do not meet the criteria for a substance use disorder to reduce or stop their use.

The Task Force concluded that there is not enough evidence to determine what primary care professionals can do to prevent or reduce drug use in children and adolescents under the age of 18. Nearly one in 10 American adolescents use illegal drugs or prescription or over-the-counter drugs for nonmedical purposes, which can have serious health, educational, and social consequences. An estimated 150,000 emergency room visits in 2011 were attributed to illicit or nonmedical pharmaceutical drug use among adolescents.

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Children Who Watch More Television Sleep Less

Main Point:

Pre-school and school-aged children who spent more time watching television got less sleep.

Published in:

JAMA Pediatrics

Author:

Marcella Marinelli, M.Sc., Ph.D., of the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues.

Background:

Sleep is important and prior research has suggested that television viewing can cause irregular sleep habits. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 2009 that children under 2 years avoid exposure to any media and that for older children time be limited to one to two hours per day.

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Bullying Associated With Suicidal Thoughts, Attempts by Children, Adolescents

Main Points:

Bullying is a risk factor for suicidal ideation (thoughts) and suicide attempts by children and adolescents, and cyberbullying appeared more strongly related to suicidal thoughts than traditional bullying.

Published in:

JAMA Pediatrics

Author:

Mitch van Geel, Ph.D., of Leiden University, the Netherlands, and colleagues.

Background:

Prior research suggests that bullying (also known as peer victimization) is an important risk factor for adolescent suicide. Overall, suicide is one of the most frequent causes of adolescent death worldwide, and 5 to 8 percent of adolescents in the United States attempt suicide within a year.

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Insulin-Related Hypoglycemia, Errors Related to Emergencies, Hospitalizations

Main Points:

Elderly patients with diabetes treated with insulin were more likely than younger patients to visit the emergency department (ED) and be hospitalized for insulin-related hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and insulin-related errors (IHEs).

Published in:

JAMA Internal Medicine

Author:

Andrew I. Geller, M.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and colleagues.

Background:

Insulin remains one of the most challenging aspects of managing diabetes because of complexities in dosing and administration of the medication, as well as the need to monitor blood glucose. The risk of insulin-related hypoglycemia is an important consideration when choosing among treatment options.

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Drug protects mice against malaria brain damage and raises levels of a neuroprotective factor in humans

Main Points:

Cerebral malaria is a serious complication of infection with the malaria parasite, affecting approximately one in a thousand children in areas where malaria is common. Many of the patients die, and among those who survive, about a third have lasting cognitive and neurological disabilities, including epilepsy and learning disorders. A study published on March 6th in PLOS Pathogens shows that a known drug can prevent brain damage in a cerebral malaria mouse model and eliminate subsequent neurological deficits.

Published in:

PLOS Pathogens

Study Further:

Infection with the malaria parasite elicits a strong immune response in the patient, and it is known that both parasite and host response contribute to the nervous system problems in cerebral malaria. Lena Serghides, from the Toronto General Research Institute, Canada, and colleagues are interested in modulating the host response to malaria infection, in addition to anti-parasite drugs, with the goal to improve outcomes in patients.

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