Minnesota - March 2014 Archives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSC4zIjJpmU American College of Cardiology Washington — March 29, 2014 — Patients who attended cardiac rehabilitation and used a smartphone-based app to record daily measurements such as weight and blood pressure had greater improvements in those cardiovascular risk factors; they also were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 90 days of discharge, compared with patients who only attended cardiac rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic researchers found. Journalists: Soundbites and b-roll with Dr. Widmer are available in the downloads. Only 20 percent of the patients who attended cardiac rehab and used the app were readmitted to the hospital or visited the emergency department within 90 days, compared with 60 percent of those in the control group, researchers discovered.

Accurate diagnosis key because painful disease treated differently than other forms of arthritis ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 25, 2014 — Gout is on the rise among U.S. men and women, and this piercingly painful and most common form of inflammatory arthritis is turning out to be more complicated than had been thought. The standard way to check for gout is by drawing fluid or tissue from an affected joint and looking for uric acid crystals, a test known as a needle aspiration. That usually works, but not always: In a new Mayo Clinic study, X-rays known as dual-energy CT scans found gout in one-third of patients whose aspirates tested negative for the disease. The CT scans allowed rheumatologists to diagnose gout and treat those patients with the proper medication. The results are published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, the European League Against Rheumatism journal. The study tested the usefulness of CT scans in finding uric acid crystals around joints across a wide spectrum of gout manifestations. The researchers found CT scans worked particularly well in detecting gout in patients who had experienced several gout-like flares but whose previous needle aspirates came back negative. After CT scans found what appeared to be uric acid crystals, ultrasound-guided aspirates were taken in those areas and tested for urate crystals.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Researchers from the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine will present results of three different studies evaluating implications and feasibility of genome sequencing at the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting this week in Nashville, Tenn. Presenters are available for interviews at the conference or remote interviews by telephone. To schedule an interview, please contact Sam Smith, Mayo Clinic public affairs specialist, at 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu. Richard Sharp, Ph.D., director of the Bioethics Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, also will participate on Saturday, March 30, in a panel discussion entitled “Duty to Recontact” in the Genomics Era: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Open Forum. “Duty to Recontact” addresses providers’ obligations to patients who have undergone previous genetic testing, given the growing complexities of genetic/genomic medicine and the potential for new findings in old tests. Dr. Sharp is an advisor to the National Institutes of Health, the Institute of Medicine and the Environmental Protection Agency. He can discuss the ethical, legal and social implications of integrating genomics technologies into patient care.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 21, 2014 — Here are highlights from the March issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com or call toll-free for subscription information, 1-800-333-9037, extension 9771. Full newsletter text:  Mayo Clinic Health Letter March 2014 (for journalists only). Long QT syndrome ― Electrical Miscues in the Heart ― Can Cause Fainting, Seizures Long QT syndrome — when the electrical activity of the heart takes longer than it should to return to normal after a heartbeat — can lead to potentially dangerous heart rhythms. The March issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers this condition and why it’s dangerous. Long QT syndrome can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats that result in fainting, seizures or even sudden death. If long QT syndrome is suspected because of a fainting spell or family history, a doctor will likely suggest several tests, starting with an electrocardiogram (ECG). 

ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 20, 2014 — Is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) caused by genetics, diet, past trauma, anxiety? All are thought to play a role, but now, for the first time, researchers have reported a defined genetic defect that causes a subset of IBS. The research was published in the journal Gastroenterology. Researchers estimate that approximately 15 to 20 percent of the Western world has IBS. It is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Most patients with the disorder commonly experience symptoms of cramping, abdominal pain, bloating gas, diarrhea and constipation. Most treatments for IBS target these symptoms.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 20, 2014 — Ask Mayo Clinic nurse line was recently awarded the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Information Product Certification after undergoing a rigorous review of its health information phone line. Attaining this certification indicates that Ask Mayo Clinic is structured to be consistent with NCQA’s health information standards. The health information products (HIP) certification program highlights organizations that provide a variety of services, including health information lines, pharmacy benefits information and online physician and hospital directories. Ask Mayo Clinic nurse line is part of Mayo Clinic’s integrated suite of population health management products and services. Using sound judgment backed by a wealth of clinical resources, experienced registered nurses provide trustworthy advice to callers who are ill, injured or seeking reliable health information. Using the protocols and algorithms that are built by Mayo Clinic and used in Mayo’s clinical practice, nurses empower callers to determine care that is safe and cost-effective for the best possible outcomes.

Almanac will broadcast live from Mayo Clinic on March 21 at 7 p.m. CDT ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 20, 2014 — Twin Cities Public Television’s (tpt) acclaimed weekly public affairs show, Almanac, joins Mayo Clinic in marking its 150th anniversary when Cathy Wurzer and Eric Eskola host a live broadcast on Friday, March 21, from Phillips Hall on the Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester. The broadcast will be the first-ever live show for Almanac outside of its St. Paul studio. The studio audience will include approximately 350 Mayo Clinic employees, civic and community leaders, and public television supporters. The public can watch the program live starting at 7 p.m. CDT on tpt 2 in the Twin Cities. Almanac also is broadcast on many Public Broadcasting Service stations throughout the state, or you can view the show online during and after the live broadcast on YouTube. The show will include an interview with Mayo Clinic President and CEO John Noseworthy, M.D. Other scheduled segments and guests include a political scientist panel with Dan Hofrenning from St. Olaf College, Stacey Hunter Hecht from Bethel University, Kathryn Pearson from the University of Minnesota, and David Schultz from Hamline University. There also will be a political reporter panel with Post-Bulletin political reporter Heather Carlson, tpt reporter Mary Lahammer, and Minnesota Public Radio political reporter Tom Scheck. “We’re thrilled to bring Almanac to a live audience in Rochester and couldn’t be happier that our first live broadcast ever is with Mayo Clinic to help commemorate their 150th anniversary,” says Almanac Producer Brendan Henehan.

Mayo Clinic research results presented in NEJM could change colorectal screening practice ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 19, 2014 — Results of a clinical trial of Cologuard show unprecedented rates of precancer and cancer detection by a noninvasive test. The detection rates are similar to those reported for colonoscopy. The results were published in the March 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Cologuard was co-developed by Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences. Cologuard, is a noninvasive sDNA test for the early detection of colorectal precancer and cancer. The Cologuard test is based on a stool sample that is analyzed for DNA signatures of precancer or cancer. The samples are easily collected, mailed from home, requires no bowel preparation, medication restriction or diet change. The clinical trial, called the DeeP-C study, included 10,000 patients and was designed to determine how well Cologuard detects precancer and cancer. The study also compared Cologuard to the fecal immunochemical test for occult blood (FIT). The study was conducted at 90 medical centers throughout the United States and Canada. “Cologuard detection rates of early stage cancer and high-risk precancerous polyps validated in this large study were outstanding and have not been achieved by other noninvasive approaches,” says the study’s author David Ahlquist M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and co-inventor of the Cologuard test. “It is our hope that this accurate and user-friendly test will expand screening effectiveness and help curb colorectal cancer rates in much the same way as regular Pap smear screening has done for cervical cancer.” In the study, all patients received Cologuard, FIT and colonoscopy.  Colonoscopy was the reference method. Major findings reported in the study include: Sensitivity of Cologuard for cancer was 92 percent overall, and 94 percent for the earliest and most curable cancer stages (stages I and II). Sensitivity was 69 percent for precancerous polyps at greatest risk to progress to cancer (i.e., those containing high-grade dysplasia). Cologuard detected significantly more cancers and significantly more precancerous polyps than did FIT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qi41DaFjXM Bottom Line:  A diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults was associated with increased risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), especially MCI of skills other than memory, and the greatest risk was among patients who had COPD for more than five years. The study is published in JAMA Neurology. Authors:  Balwinder Singh, M.D., M.S., and Michelle Mielke, Ph.D., of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and colleagues. Background: COPD is an irreversible limitation of airflow into the lungs, usually caused by smoking. More than 13.5 million adults 25 years or older in the U.S. have COPD. Previous research has suggested COPD is associated with cognitive impairment. How the Study Was Conducted: The authors examined the association between COPD and MCI, as well as the duration of MCI, in 1,425 individuals (ages 70 to 89 years) with normal cognition in 2004 from Olmsted County, Minn. At baseline, 171 patients had a COPD diagnosis. Results: Of the 1,425 patients, 370 developed MCI: 230 had amnestic MCI (A-MCI, which affects memory), 97 had nonamnestic MCI (NA-MCI), 27 had MCI of an unknown type and 16 had progressed from normal cognition to dementia. A diagnosis of COPD increased the risk for NA-MCI by a relative 83 percent during a median of 5.1 years of follow-up. Patients who had COPD for more than five years had the greatest risk for MCI.

MINNEAPOLIS — March 17, 2014 — Today, the 2013 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Champion Minnesota Lynx announced a multi-year partnership with Mayo Clinic that includes marquee placement on the team’s home and away jerseys. The new agreement also designates Mayo Clinic as the exclusive presenting sponsor for the 2014 Lynx season, which kicks off on May 16. This agreement between the Lynx and Mayo Clinic is part of a previously announced strategic collaboration that includes the development of a new state-of-the-art training facility and sports medicine center in Mayo Clinic Square, formerly known as Block E in downtown Minneapolis. “This new collaboration with Mayo Clinic will help elevate our organization to even greater heights in terms of both recognition and brand association,” says Lynx Executive Vice President Roger Griffith. “The jersey marquee is one element in a wide-ranging partnership with Mayo Clinic. In addition to winning two championships in the last three seasons, we continue to look to the future for ways to improve our business both on and off the court. Our relationship with Mayo Clinic accomplishes that.”“ We are thrilled to be the presenting sponsor for the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx,” says John T. Wald, M.D., medical director for marketing and public affairs, Mayo Clinic. “We are also pleased that work has already begun at Mayo Clinic Square, and we look forward to providing sports medicine care in downtown Minneapolis not only for the elite athletes of the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves, but also for all athletes looking for injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance solutions.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIotTjQep4o Rochester Minn. March 17, 2014 — The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (MCCC) announced today that it has been elected to institutional membership in the National ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MkoFI5lBvY Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Cerhan are available in the downloads. ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 12, 2014 — Having a big belly has consequences beyond trouble squeezing into your pants. It’s detrimental to your health, even if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI), a new international collaborative study led by a Mayo Clinic researcher found. Men and women with large waist circumferences were more likely to die younger, and were more likely to die from illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory problems, and cancer after accounting for body mass index, smoking, alcohol use and physical activity. The study is published in the March edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The researchers pooled data from 11 different cohort studies, including more than 600,000 people from around the world. They found that men with waists 43 inches or greater in circumference had a 50 percent higher mortality risk than men with waists less than 35 inches, and this translated to about a three-year lower life expectancy after age 40. Women with a waist circumference of 37 inches or greater had about an 80 percent higher mortality risk than women with a waist circumference of 27 inches or less, and this translated to about a five-year lower life expectancy after age 40.