Minnesota

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Medical records are an invaluable tool in treating patients. When a caregiver has ample information regarding a person's medical history, treatments are more effective and efficient. Unfortunately, few people have complete medical records — due, in large part, to a lack of any universal repository tools for keeping those records. Mayo Clinic, along with its partners in a program called the Southeast Minnesota Beacon Community, is working on solutions to this problem. They are showcasing their work through demonstrations at the 12th annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference & Exhibition (HiMSS), from Feb. 20 to 24 in Las Vegas. In May 2010, southeast Minnesota was one of 17 areas nationwide selected for funding by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiative called the Beacon Community Program. The initiative sought to fund health care entities looking for ways to use technology to improve the efficiency and delivery of health care while cutting costs. The Southeast Minnesota Beacon Community was created through collaboration among Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic Health System, Olmsted Medical Center, Winona Health, Allina Hospital Owatonna, and 11 county public health departments in the region. Now, less than two years after receiving funding, the group has been asked to share its work at the HiMSS Conference, using technology and processes it developed to show how health information can be transferred between its member institutions in real time. Two scenarios are being showcased at demonstration kiosks in the HiMSS exhibition hall. The first scenario demonstrates the generation and exchange of a "Continuity of Care Document," or CCD. In this scenario, a test patient visits Mayo Clinic after being seen at Olmsted Medical Center for diabetes mellitus. Using Health Information Exchange (HIE) technology, Mayo Clinic retrieves a CCD from the patient's visit to Olmsted Medical Center. The document contains information such as immunization records, known allergies and medications being taken, and the results of any tests done during the prior visit.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Hospitalization for underage drinking is common in the United States, and it comes with a price tag — the estimated total cost for these hospitalizations is about $755 million per year, a Mayo Clinic study has found. Researchers also found geographic and demographic differences in the incidence of alcohol-related hospital admissions. The findings were published online today in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Of the roughly 40,000 youth ages 15 to 20 hospitalized in 2008, the most recent data available, 79 percent were drunk when they arrived at the hospital, researchers say. Alcohol abuse and addiction and drinking-related emotional problems were among the diagnoses. Among all U.S. teens, roughly 18 of every 10,000 adolescent males and 12 of every 10,000 females were hospitalized after consuming alcohol in the year studied. In all, 700,000 young people in that age group were hospitalized for various reasons, including non-alcohol-related conditions, in 2008. "When teenagers drink, they tend to drink excessively, leading to many destructive consequences including motor vehicle accidents, injuries, homicides and suicides," says researcher Terry Schneekloth, M.D., a Mayo Clinic addiction expert and psychiatrist. Underage drinking is common in the United States: 36–71 percent of high-school students report having consumed alcohol at least once, although the prevalence of heavy drinking (more than five drinks in a row within the preceding two weeks) is lower (7–23 percent). "Alcohol use necessitating acute-care hospitalization represents one of the most serious consequences of underage drinking," Dr. Schneekloth says. "Harmful alcohol use in adolescence is a harbinger of alcohol abuse in adulthood." The average age of those with alcohol-related discharges was 18; 61 percent were male. Nearly a quarter of the alcohol-use disorder hospitalizations included an injury, most commonly traffic accidents, assaults and altercations.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Though researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the long-term effects of head injury, few studies have looked at the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in all age groups, including males and females, taking into account both mild and serious events. In a recent study published in Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic researchers applied a new, refined system for classifying injuries caused by force to the head and found that the incidence of traumatic brain injury is likely greater than has been estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). VIDEO ALERT: Additional audio and video resources, including excerpts from an interview with Dr. Brown describing the research, are available on the Mayo Clinic News Blog. "Even mild traumatic brain injuries can affect sensory-motor functions, thinking and awareness, and communication," says study author Allen Brown, M.D., director of brain rehabilitation research at Mayo Clinic. "In assessing frequency, we have likely been missing a lot of cases. This is the first population-based analysis to determine prevalence along the whole spectrum of these injuries." Researchers used the Mayo Traumatic Brain Injury Classification System, a new brain injury method that classifies head injuries along a more comprehensive scale than ever before. The categories label patients with "definite," "probable" and "possible" TBIs, providing a way to incorporate symptoms such as a brief period of unconsciousness or even an injured patient's complaint of dizziness or nausea. Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a several decades-long compilation of medical records in Olmsted County, Minn., the team determined that TBIs occur in as many as 558 per 100,000 people, compared to the 341 per 100,000 estimated by the CDC. Researchers found that 60 percent of injuries fell outside the standard categorization used by the CDC, even though two-thirds of them were symptomatic. Mayo researchers found the elderly and the young were found most at risk for "definite" and "possible" injury, respectively, and men were more at risk than women. The findings reinforce ongoing efforts by the CDC to create a brain injury classification that more broadly encompasses traumatic head injury.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — People with fibromyalgia can have difficulty getting a definitive diagnosis and finding an effective treatment plan. For many patients, the condition involves a confounding array of symptoms, including chronic pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and mood disorders. One factor associated with fibromyalgia symptoms is a patient's weight, according to a Mayo Clinic study published this month in "Arthritis Care & Research." "We see an association between body mass index with symptom severity and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia," says study author Terry Oh, M.D., of Mayo Clinic's Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. "This was the first study to look at distinct groups of obese patients and determine how weight correlates with levels of symptoms and quality of life." The study assessed body mass index (BMI) in 888 fibromyalgia patients seen at the Mayo Clinic Fibromyalgia Treatment Program in Rochester. Obesity (BMI greater than 29) was common in about half of the patients, and one-fourth were severely obese (BMI greater than 35). All patients studied completed questionnaires describing their symptoms and ability to function. Symptom severity was more pronounced as obesity increased. Overall, groups of patients with greater BMI reported more severe fibromyalgia-related symptoms and lower quality of life. Severely obese patients reported significantly higher pain scores than non-obese and overweight patients.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic will "go red" to celebrate National Wear Red Day on Fri., Feb. 3. Joining in the efforts across the country, Mayo ...

MINNEAPOLIS — Researchers from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., are another step closer to developing a drug to combat fungal infections — one of the major problems confronting patients with compromised immune systems. The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics has awarded Mayo biochemist Zhiguo Zhang, Ph.D., and University medicinal chemist Michael Walters, Ph.D., a commercialization grant of $621,934 for the first year of a two-year period. The research team will use the grant for additional studies that will move their drug discovery toward the marketplace. The Need Finding new drugs to fight fungal infections is critical as the numbers of immuno-compromised patients rise due to HIV, organ transplants, and cancer chemotherapy treatments. In certain fungal infections, the mortality rate exceeds 50 percent and in some cases may be as high as 90 percent. Current drugs are becoming compromised as fungi become resistant to them.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Heart disease is the nation's No. 1 killer for both men and women. But what's most astonishing is that almost 80 percent of heart disease is preventable, and even small lifestyle changes can have a big impact. Based on an innovative yet simple "Eat 5, Move 10, Sleep 8" program, Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! provides the latest, clinically proven information on heart disease prevention and a step-by-step quick-start plan that breaks through the clutter and helps people understand exactly where to focus: Eat 5 or more vegetables or fruits per day. It's not just the protective nutrients they supply, but also that you'll have less room for junk. Move 10 extra minutes each day. Recent studies show that a sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of heart attack as much as smoking does. It's as simple as standing instead of sitting as much as possible. Sleep at least 8 hours per day. Chronic sleep deprivation has devastating effects on your heart. It is not a luxury, it's a necessity. In addition, enjoy life. Discover what brings you joy and satisfaction. Your mental and emotional state influence heart health just as your genetic makeup and lifestyle habits can. "As soon you pick up the book, you can start making a difference in your heart health," says Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Martha Grogan, M.D. medical editor-in-chief of Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! "And, it's easier than you might think. For example, moving even 10 minutes a day for someone who's been sedentary can reduce the risk for heart disease by 50 percent." In this book, Dr. Grogan and a multi-disciplinary team of Mayo Clinic experts discuss key actions to jump-start heart health. The book also offers management strategies for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions; explains how the heart works and what can go wrong; and offers additional tools, tips and resources to overcome obstacles and support your heart disease prevention plan.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Doctors have known for years that the incidence of deadly liver cancer is on the rise, but what is causing that trend has remained a mystery. Two recent Mayo Clinic studies published in the January issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings offer a clearer picture of the rise of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer, which has tripled in the U.S. in the last three decades and has a 10 to 12 percent five-year survival rate when detected in later stages.  "The studies illuminate the importance of identifying people with risk factors in certain populations to help catch the disease in its early, treatable stages," said W. Ray Kim, M.D., a specialist in Gastroenterology and Hepatology and principal investigator of one study. Dr. Kim's research group looked at several decades of records in the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a database that accounts for an entire county's inpatient and outpatient care. The study found the overall incidence of HCC in the population (6.9 per 100,000) is higher than has been estimated for the nation based on data from the National Cancer Institute (5.1 per 100,000). The study also found that HCC, which two decades ago tended to be caused by liver-scarring diseases such as cirrhosis from alcohol consumption, is now occurring as a consequence of hepatitis C infection. "The liver scarring from hepatitis C can take 20 to 30 years to develop into cancer," Dr. Kim says. "We're now seeing cancer patients in their 50s and 60s who contracted hepatitis C 30 years ago and didn't even know they were infected." Eleven percent of cases were linked to obesity, in particular fatty liver disease.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have found that multiple exposures to anesthesia at a young age are associated with higher rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). VIDEO ALERT: Additional audio and video resources, including excerpts from an interview with Dr. Warner describing the research, are available on the Mayo Clinic News Blog. Children exposed to two or more anesthetics before age 3 had more than double the incidence of ADHD than children who had no exposure, says David Warner, M.D., a Mayo Clinic pediatric anesthesiologist and investigator on the observational study. The findings are published in the Feb. 2 edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. When basic science studies in the medical literature began to suggest anesthesia used in surgery causes changes in the brains of young animals, Dr. Warner and a group of researchers at Mayo Clinic took note. "Those studies piqued our interest," Dr. Warner says. "We were skeptical that the findings in animals would correlate with kids, but it appears that it does." The study utilized results of an existing epidemiological study that looked at educational records of children born between 1976 and 1982 in Rochester, Minn., and determined those who developed some form of learning disability or ADHD.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Researchers involved in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging reported today that more than 6 percent of Americans age 70 to 89 develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) every year. Also, the condition appears to affect men and those who only have a high school education more than women and those who have completed some higher education. People with MCI are at the stage between suffering the normal forgetfulness associated with aging and developing dementia, such as that caused by Alzheimer's disease. VIDEO ALERT: Additional audio and video resources, including excerpts from an interview with Dr. Roberts describing the research, are available on the Mayo Clinic News Blog. The study, "The Incidence of MCI Differs by Subtype and is Higher in Men," which was published in the Jan. 25, 2012, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, reports that 296 of the 1,450 study participants developed MCI, an incidence rate of 6.4 percent per year overall. Among men, the incidence rate was 7.2 percent, compared with 5.7 percent per year for women. "While incidence rates for MCI have been reported previously, ours is one of the few studies designed specifically to measure the incidence of MCI and its subtypes using published criteria," says lead author Rosebud O. Roberts, M.B., Ch.B., of the Mayo Clinic Division of Epidemiology. "The statistically significant difference between incidence rates among men and women represents an important finding for those evaluating patients for MCI." The study also looked in more detail at patients with MCI, dividing them according to whether they developed amnestic MCI (aMCI) — in which the condition affects the memory domain — or non-amnestic MCI (naMCI).

What: Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota are taking wellness promotion on the road Jan. 24, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Minnesota Partnership — a state-funded research partnership between the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic — is debuting its health and wellness mobile lab at Caldrea, a Minneapolis-based company that makes earth-friendly, aromatherapeutic housekeeping products. The event is open to the media. The motor home-sized lab is outfitted with tools to measure calorie expenditure, body mass and fat content indexes and bone density, and to collect survey data. The goal is to bring the lab to people at their workplaces and schools, and to underserved populations, in an attempt to promote healthy lifestyles. When & Where: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Caldrea Headquarters, 420 North 5th Street, Minneapolis, 55401. The Caldrea office is located on the fourth floor of the historic Ford Center building adjacent to Target Field. Why: The lab's visit to Caldrea is part of a study to determine if healthy movement and standing in work spaces yield healthy outcomes. The lab will visit Caldrea four times over three months — days one, 30, 60 and 90. Before the first visit, some Caldrea employees who are participating in the study had their workstations converted to WorkFit sit-stand workstations that promote healthy movement and standing. These were designed by Ergotron, a manufacturer of digital display mounting, furniture and mobility products. During each visit, employees will undergo five health tests that include height and weight, heart rate, step station, a treadmill run, and a dexa scan to measure bone density. Researchers will use the data to determine if the new workstations make employees healthier.

The need for joint surgery is declining among rheumatoid arthritis patients, possibly because they can now more effectively manage the disease with medication, Mayo Clinic research has found. When people diagnosed with arthritis since the mid-1990s do need orthopedic surgery, it now is more often on the knees rather than the hips, the study shows. The findings are published online in The Journal of Rheumatology. VIDEO ALERT: Additional audio and video resources, including excerpts from an interview with Dr. Sherine Gabriel are available on the Mayo Clinic News Blog. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's tissues, causing painful joint inflammation that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity. The disease is more common in women than in men. Early on, rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect the hands and feet, and as it progresses, often spreads to the knees, ankles, hips and shoulders. Using data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, researchers reviewed medical records from all orthopedic surgeries following the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in adults in Olmsted County, Minn. The procedures included primary total joint arthroplasty such as hip or knee replacement, joint reconstruction, soft tissue procedures, and revision arthroplasty. They found that roughly 27 percent of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis from 1980-94 needed at least one joint surgery within 10 years of diagnosis, compared with 19.5 percent for those found to have the disease from 1995-2007.