Arizona - May 2015 Archives

CHICAGO — Use of the targeted agent pacritinib significantly reduced the symptoms and burden of advanced myelofibrosis in patients, says a Mayo Clinic researcher who co-led PERSIST-1, the worldwide phase 3 clinical trial that tested the therapy. Specifically, pacritinib substantially reduced severe enlargement of the spleen, a typical feature of advanced myelofibrosis, in more than 20 percent of patients and alleviated debilitating side effects in more than 46 percent. Investigators further found that pacritinib could be used safely in patients with myelofibrosis who have thrombocytopenia, a life-threating loss of blood platelets that can lead to deadly bleeding. The only currently approved therapy for myelofibrosis — ruxolitinib — is not recommended in patients who have severe thrombocytopenia. Ruben A. Mesa, M.D., chair of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, will present these results at a press conference held during the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005 Email: dangor.yusuf@mayo.edu  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTzjIdPfTSM

Use caution when considering anticoagulants, especially for older adults PHOENIX — If you are over age 75, and taking an anticoagulant, the old standard may be the gold standard, Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have determined. In a study released online in April in the BMJ, a team of researchers from Mayo Clinic, and other collaborators, showed that for older patients, particularly individuals greater than 75 years of age,  the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is 3 to 5 times higher when taking newer anticoagulant medications dabigatran or rivaroxaban compared to when using warfarin. One of the most common reasons people take anticoagulant medication – which lessens the blood’s tendency to clot – is to reduce potential or severity of clotting complications in patients with atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism. People with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism have a much higher risk of strokes, heart attacks and clots in the lungs and legs, which can result in disability or death. MEDIA CONTACT: Jim McVeigh, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 480-301-4222, Email: mcveigh.jim@mayo.edu

PHOENIX — Prior studies have shown that most dog bite injuries result from family dogs. A new study conducted by Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children’s Hospital shed some further light on the nature of these injuries. The American Veterinary association has designated this week as Dog Bite Prevention Week. The study, published last month in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, demonstrated that more than 50 percent of the dog bites injuries treated at Phoenix Children’s Hospital came from dogs belonging to an immediate family member. MEDIA CONTACT: Jim McVeigh, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 480-301-4222, Email: mcveigh.jim@mayo.edu Stacy Dillier, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, 602-933-0824, sdillier@phoenixchildrens.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Mayo Medical School announced that its planned expansion in Scottsdale, has received licensure by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, the group responsible for regulating private postsecondary degree-granting institutions within the state of Arizona. “This is a major milestone in our journey to open a full four-year branch campus of Mayo Medical School in Scottsdale,” says Wyatt Decker, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Earlier this month, Mayo Medical School leaders announced they had also received endorsement for the expansion from the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for medical education. While many experts wonder if medical schools across the country are doing enough to prepare graduates for the challenges of an evolving health care system, Dr. Decker notes that the medical school — planned to open in 2017 — won’t rest on conventional physician training. “The reality is that most medical schools are teaching the same way they did 100 years ago,” Dr. Decker said in a recent Wall Street Journal article. “It’s time to blow up that model and ask, ‘What must we do to train tomorrow’s doctors?’” MEDIA CONTACT: Jim McVeigh, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 480-301-4222, mcveigh.jim@mayo.edu

TUCSON, Ariz. – Mayo Clinic officials today announced Tucson Medical Center as a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a national network of organizations committed to better serving patients and their families through collaboration. Members of the network have access to Mayo Clinic knowledge and expertise to give their patients additional peace of mind when making health care decisions, while continuing to offer the highest quality and value of care close to home. The Mayo Clinic Care Network extends Mayo Clinic’s knowledge and expertise to physicians and providers interested in working together in the best interest of their patients. TMC physicians will now be able to connect with Mayo Clinic specialists on questions of patient care using an electronic consulting technique called eConsults. TMC physicians also will have access to Mayo-vetted medical information through the AskMayoExpert database. These tools, in addition to health care consulting, will help TMC provide the best care for its patients as well as improve its systems and the health of the community. MEDIA CONTACT: Jim McVeigh, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 480-301-4222, Email: newsbureau@mayo.edu Alicia Moura, Tucson Medical Center, 520-324-2174, Email: alicia.moura@tmcaz.com