Mixed Bag

Bisphosphonates Raise Afib Risk (CME/CE)
Bisphosphonate use was associated with significantly increased risks of atrial fibrillation and serious atrial fibrillation, researchers found.

A systematic review of randomized controlled studies and observational studies showed use of bisphosphonates was associated with a 27% increased risk of atrial fibrillation (95% CI 1.16-1.39) in observational studies and, in randomized controlled trials alone, with a 40% increased odds of serious atrial fibrillation (95% CI 1.02-1.93), according to Abhishek Sharma, MD, of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and colleagues. Patients receiving bisphosphonates were not at increased risk for stroke or cardiovascular mortality, they wrote in the October issue of Chest. MedPage Today

New urine test could diagnose eye disease
You might not think to look to a urine test to diagnose an eye disease. But a new Duke University study says it can link what is in a patient's urine to gene mutations that cause retinitis pigmentosa, or RP, an inherited, degenerative disease that results in severe vision impairment and often blindness. The findings appear online in the Journal of Lipid Research. Eurekalert!

Physician job satisfaction driven by quality of patient care
Being able to provide high-quality health care is a primary driver of job satisfaction among physicians, and obstacles to quality patient care are a source of stress for doctors, according to a new RAND Corporation study. While physicians note some advantages of electronic health records, physicians complain that the systems in use today are cumbersome to operate and are an important contributor to their dissatisfaction, the study found. Eurekalert!

Patient-centered medical home philosophy boosts patient, physician satisfaction
Though the clinics did not satisfy all the elements needed to qualify as a patient-centered medical home, overall their score jumped from a previous 35 to 53 out of 100 possible points. The satisfaction rating from patients increased from 48 percent to 65 percent in the intervention clinic, compared with a jump from 50 percent to 59 percent in the controls. Patients were particularly pleased with access. Satisfaction with urgent appointment scheduling increased from 12 percent to 53 percent in the intervention clinic, compared with an increase from 14 percent to 18 percent in the control clinic. MedicalXpress

When it comes to the good cholesterol, fitness trumps weight
Because exercise has the potential to protect against heart disease in a variety of ways, Christian K. Roberts and his colleagues at UCLA tested whether HDL in men who weight trained regularly behaved in a healthier way than HDL in sedentary men. They found that the men who didn't exercise were more likely than those who weight trained to have dysfunctional HDL. Having faulty HDL was associated with numerous other risk factors for heart disease, including high triglycerides and a higher trunk fat mass. This finding held true regardless of the men's weight, which suggests that maintaining a "healthy" weight isn't as important for healthy cholesterol function as being active by regularly performing strength training. Eurekalert!

Study finds readmission rates impacted by a patients' knowledge and skills
A study by physicians at Boston Medical Center (BMC), has found that patients with a high degree of activation (possessing the knowledge, skills, confidence and inclination to assume responsibility for managing one's health and health-care needs) were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge than those with a low level of activation. This study, which appears online in Journal of General Internal Medicine, is the first to evaluate patient activation and its effects on utilization of hospital services after discharge. Eurekalert!

Running a marathon can be bad for the heart, especially in less prepared runners, say experts
Investigators who studied a group of recreational marathon runners have established that strenuous exercise such as running a marathon can damage the heart muscle. Although they found the effect is temporary and reversible, they warn that these effects are more widespread in less fit distance runners and that recreational distance runners should prepare properly before marathons. Their findings are published in the October issue of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Eurekalert!

Cataract surgeries on the rise as boomers age, raising access, cost issues
As baby boomers enter their retirement years, health care costs for complex and debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's disease are expected to soar. Not drawing as much attention is the likelihood of similarly rising expenses for common age-related medical procedures. A Mayo Clinic study looked at one of those—cataract surgery— and found that more people are getting the vision-improving procedure, seeking it at younger ages and having both eyes repaired within a few months, rather than only treating one eye. The demand shows no sign of leveling off, raising the need to manage costs and ensure access to appropriate cataract treatment, the researchers say. The findings are published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. MedicalXpress