Unrestricted-calorie, high-vegetable-fat Mediterranean diet associated with no weight gain

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In a study published yesterday in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, Ramon Ostrich and colleagues reported on the Spanish PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) randomized controlled trial and on the long-term weight change. In their five-year intervention, nearly 7500 asymptomatic men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus or more than two cardiovascular risk factors were randomly assigned to receive either one of the two unrestricted-calorie Mediterranean diets (one supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and one supplemented with nuts) or the control diet which included advice to reduce dietary fat.

The authors reported that although the dietary fat consumption was higher for the participants of the Mediterranean diets, in the five-years follow-up not only was there no weight gain, but they even noticed some evidence of decrease in the weight and waist circumference. The results of the study support the hypothesis that restricting calorie intake of healthy fats does not contribute to bodyweight maintenance.

Read the article and comment the story on Among Doctors

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Picks of the Week: Zika and microcephaly causal link confirmed

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The last week, a great breadth of noteworthy scientific news was shared on Among Doctors. Let’s have a look at the most important ones:

  • The CDC confirms that the Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly
    In a special report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that on the basis of the available evidence, the Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and possibly other serious brain anomalies.
  • Microbes and Alzheimer’s Disease
    Thirty-three researchers and clinicians point out the potential link of infection to Alzheimer’s disease in a recently published editorial.
  • WHO: Global report on diabetes
    The first WHO Global report on diabetes demonstrates that the number of adults living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults.
  • Antibiotic multiresistance in E.coli and K.pneumoniae in urinary tract infections: A 12-year analysis
    Data of a large sample size of urinary strains isolated over a 12 year period and demonstrates that multi-drug resistance is an increasing phenomenon of particular importance in the main urinary-tract-infections-causing species.
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WHO Releases the Global Report on Diabetes

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On the occasion of World Health Day 2016, WHO issued a call for action on diabetes, drawing attention to the need to step up prevention and treatment of the disease. The first WHO Global report on diabetes demonstrates that the number of adults living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults. Factors driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity. In 2012 alone diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths. Its complications can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation.

Read the report or comment the story on Among Doctors

Image credit: WHO / Eduardo Martino

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Picks of the Week: Primary care, mental health and more!

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A plethora of news were shared on the Among Doctors network last week by fellow physicians; a result of a community which starts to grow with members wishing to share what they have appraised. Primary care and mental health, asthma over diagnosis, updates on the Zika virus and a new report on eHealth from the European office of the WHO. Let’s see the latest top news:

  • Getting Primary Care at the Psychiatrist’s Office
    People with severe mental illnesses are more likely to die prematurely than those without, and it’s often from treatable chronic diseases—in part because many, don’t receive regular medical care.
  • Overdiagnosis of asthma in children in primary care: a retrospective analysis
    Overdiagnosis of childhood asthma is common in primary care, leading to unnecessary treatment, disease burden, and impact on quality of life. However, only in a small percentage of children is a diagnosis of asthma confirmed by lung function tests.
  • From innovation to implementation – eHealth in the WHO European Region
    A new report on e-Health in the WHO European Region reveals that tangible progress has been made, with clear benefits for many countries. In most Member States, it has become commonplace for technology to be used to deliver health services and public health improvements, such as electronic health records.
  • Effects of Long-Term Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin on Fractures and Bone Density in Non-Pregnant Adults
    Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for 3–6 months may not increase the risk of fractures, but longer exposure for up to 24 months may adversely affect bone mineral density (BMD). Clinicians should consider monitoring BMD in adults on long-term LMWH who are at increased risk of bone loss or fracture.
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diabetes

Picks of the Week: Updates on diabetes mellitus

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This week many news updates were shared by fellow colleagues on the Among Doctors network. As many of you have already experienced, with this feature we can all become editors by appraising and sharing new evidence and other piece of news with the rest of your network. Give it try by sharing something interesting from your home page on Among Doctors, and let us know your thoughts!

Let’s see the latest top news:

  • Cancer incidence in persons with type 1 diabetes: a five-country study of 9,000 cancers in type 1 diabetic individuals
    On average, type 1 diabetes confers an excess incidence of several cancers: persons with type 1 diabetes had a higher incidence of cancer of the liver, pancreas, kidney, endometrium and ovary and a lower incidence of prostate cancer than those in the general population. However, similar to the findings for type 2 diabetes, the HRs of cancer were highest at time of diabetes diagnosis and declined over time.
  • Diagnosis and Management of Diabetes: Synopsis of the 2016 American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes
    The synopsis focuses on 8 key areas that are important to primary care providers. The recommendations highlight individualized care to manage the disease, prevent or delay complications, and improve outcomes.
  • Effect of Behavioral Interventions on Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing Among Primary Care Practices
    Among primary care practices, the use of accountable justification and peer comparison as behavioral interventions resulted in lower rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections.
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Picks of the Week: Dementia risk, corticosteroids for CAP, and much more!

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The last days were quite busy for our fellow colleagues of the Among Doctors network! Many shared selected opinion papers and blogs, systematic reviews, and new evidence regarding a wide range of conditions. Let’s have a look at the top picks of these news:

  • Association of Proton Pump Inhibitors With Risk of Dementia
    The avoidance of PPI medication may prevent the development of dementia. This finding is supported by recent pharmacoepidemiological analyses on primary data and is in line with mouse models in which the use of PPIs increased the levels of β-amyloid in the brains of mice.
  • Efficacy and Safety of Corticosteroids for Community-Acquired Pneumonia
    Short-term treatment with corticosteroids is safe and may reduce the risk of ARDS, shortening the length of the disease in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
  • Zika Outbreak Signals the Urgent Need for Strong Primary Health Care Systems
    Despite the wide-ranging functions of primary health care -immunizations, family planning, diagnostics, antenatal care, maternity services, rehabilitation, counseling, and referrals- it is often underfunded and deprioritized, forcing people to use whatever cash they have for low-quality private services. The volatile Zika outbreak should remind health advocates and policymakers alike that investments in strong comprehensive primary health care systems is the very best precaution for such emergencies.
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Picks of the Week: T2DM guidance, levothyroxine intake, generics and more!

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As physicians, we use the Internet on a daily basis to obtain current health and medical information, and access journal articles and synthesis of evidence-based information. We regularly curate information: we process and appraise vast amounts of content; we select what is relevant and meaningful for our profession, based on our background, interests and knowledge gaps.

But why should this effort go unnoticed? Wouldn’t it be great to share what we personally find interesting, exciting and meaningful -whether it is an important piece of news, an updated scientific guidance or a hot debate? And wouldn’t be fantastic to browse the news that our trusted colleagues have selected for us?

Now, the Among Doctors network enables us to share news updates right from the front page. So let the crowd-sourcing of appraised information begin! In this blog, we will be picking the week’s top updates from those that fellow colleagues have shared on Among Doctors. Without further ado, here are the latest news:

  • Update NICE guidance on the management of type 2 diabetes in adults.
    Since the publication of the 2009 guideline, availability of new evidence and several key developments have prompted an update in the following areas: managing blood glucose levels, antiplatelet therapy and erectile dysfunction.
  • Effects of Evening vs Morning Levothyroxine Intake: A Randomized Double-blind Crossover
    Levothyroxine taken at bedtime significantly improved thyroid hormone levels. Quality-of-life variables and plasma lipid levels showed no significant changes with bedtime vs morning intake. Clinicians should consider prescribing levothyroxine intake at bedtime.
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