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Multi-bed hospital rooms may raise S. aureus infection risk

The risk of Staphylococcus aureus infection was higher for patients in hospital rooms with multiple beds, researchers reported at a meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The risk was 9 times higher in four-bed rooms and 3.5 times higher in two-bed rooms, compared with single-bed units. Healio (free registration) (10/24) Learn More

Viral infections may heighten cardiovascular risks

A meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that common viral infections like influenza, HIV, hepatitis C and shingles may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The review of 155 studies found that flu infections raised the risk of heart attack sixfold in the month after infection. SARS-CoV-2 infections were associated with nearly twice the risk of heart disease or stroke, compared with not having an infection. CNN (10/29) Learn More

Antenatal corticosteroids associated with infection risk

A study in JAMA Network Open found that antenatal corticosteroid exposure is linked to a higher risk of respiratory and nonrespiratory infections in children up to age 21. The population-based cohort study analyzed data from more than 1.5 million mother-child pairs, finding that children exposed to antenatal corticosteroids at 34 weeks' gestation or later had a higher risk of infections. The study suggests a need for more stringent criteria for antenatal corticosteroid use and better prediction tools for preterm birth. Medscape (10/29) Learn More

Simple steps can help improve patient satisfaction

Maintaining a high level of satisfaction among patients means paying attention to their needs before, during and after their visits. A Q&A offers practical tips that offices and teams can implement to improve patient communication, access and experiences. Staff engagement, wait times, online reviews and satisfaction measures are examined. Physicians Practice (10/24) Learn More

Cardiologist notes rise in HF device development

Cardiologist Dr. William Abraham, chief medical officer at Cardiac Dimensions, discusses the growing role of devices in treating heart failure. Abraham also sees advancements in AI, remote monitoring and sensor technology as pivotal in optimizing heart failure management. Medical Design & Outsourcing (10/23) Learn More

Study reveals AI's potential in sepsis data extraction

A study published in JAMA Network Open demonstrates the potential of AI to enhance sepsis research. Utilizing a large language model, the study extracted sepsis signs and symptoms from over 93,000 patient admission notes with accuracy comparable to manual reviews by physicians. The findings suggest AI could streamline data extraction from clinical notes, aiding in the development of predictive models for sepsis treatment. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (10/27) Learn More

Experts say cuts to equity programs will widen health disparities

Public health experts are concerned that federal funding cuts for programs aimed at improving care for minority communities will widen racial health disparities. Grants have been terminated and federal and state offices focused on minority health have closed, causing states and nonprofits to struggle in maintaining health equity initiatives. "COVID revealed the impact of health disparities to individual health -- as well as how not addressing these disparities undermines the health system for everyone," said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Stateline (10/28) Learn More

Cardiovascular Quality and Research News

ACC CV Quality SmartBrief