Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1. Acupuncture for sciatica

In this RCT from China, participants were randomly assigned to 4 weeks of 10 sessions of acupuncture (n = 110) vs. sham acupuncture (n = 110). Coprimary outcomes were changes in visual analog scale (VAS) for leg pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), both of which had significant reduction in the acupuncture group 4 weeks, with benefits persisting through week 52.

2. Heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) therapy

This study in the CMAJ studied cost utility for 12 sequencing strategies with either weekly or biweekly medication adjustments for treatment-naive patients with HFrEF. Simultaneous initiation of all 4 meds with biweekly adjustment had the highest probability of being the most cost-effective strategy.

3. Hypotension in hemodialysis (HD)

This study emulated an RCT to identify drugs associated with hypotension in HD. The unadjusted incidence rates of intradialytic hypotension per person-year were 7.4 with calcium-channel blockers (CCBs), 7.8 with angiotensin-converting–enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), 14.9 with loop diuretics, and 25.3 with beta blockers.

Ear-resistible Sound

How Apple is getting users to listen up

What happened? Apple AirPods wireless headphones have a new software update that can be used as hearing aids.

Why it’s interesting: 1 in 8 Americans over the age of 12 have hearing loss in both ears. Although many of them would benefit from having hearing aids, most of them have never tried them. The ones who have stopped using them for many reasons including cost, poor quality, or poor fitting.

Two years ago federal rules began allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter. This meant patients didn’t need a prescription for one which has helped to make them more accessible. Last month the FDA approved a software from Apple that would allow the AirPods Pro 2 to have built in hearing aids.

While some over the counter hearing aids can cost anywhere between $400-$500 Apple’s version are available for $249 on their website. Users must have an iPhone or iPad to set them up. The feature also includes built-in tests to help users determine if they have hearing loss, and sets the feature up for them if they do.

But: There are some drawbacks with the tech. There have been concerns over comfortability of the headphones along with how they fit. An audiologist said that while other hearing aids are made to last through more than a day, AirPods don’t have the same battery life and will need to be charged more frequently. She also noted the design of the hearing aids may send a message that the person wearing them might not want to be disturbed.

Bottom line: The advancement of hearing aids is exciting for those who are looking to try the tech for the first time. But like with anything doctors recommend patients do their research to find the right product for them.

Hot Off The Press

1:  💊 A Johns Hopkins study reveals that opioid companies misused scientific studies to back inaccurate claims about opioid safety, like downplaying their addictiveness. These companies selectively referenced research to amplify unverified claims, similar to how the tobacco industry created doubt about health risks.

2: 🩻 Texas breast oncologist Lauren Ramsey has developed the BAT shield — a specialized T-shirt designed to protect medical professionals from radiation exposure — after losing a colleague to breast cancer. The BAT shield has been tested to block 97% of radiation in the breast area and is already used in some Texas hospitals. The BAT shield offers an added layer of protection for those regularly exposed to X-rays in the OR.

3: ⚧ A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that transgender teens who use puberty blockers or hormone treatments report high satisfaction with their gender-affirming care — with only about 4% experiencing any regret. These findings challenge the narrative that regret is common among trans youth, especially in light of rising political debates over access to such care.

4: 🎃 As Halloween night looms a Children’s Hospital in Colorado urges parents to make sure the holiday is safe for everyone. Some tips they’ve recommended are accompanying children when they’re moving from house to house, ensure costumes are bright and reflective, and check the candy before eating it.

Notable Numbers 🔢

30: the number of minutes women wait longer than men in EDs seeking treatment for pain. According to a study that analyzed nearly 22,000 ED discharge notes of patients with a pain complaint, women wait longer — up to 30 minutes longer — for treatment. Also, women are less likely to get prescribed the meds they need.

$5.2B: the amount of money a former Las Vegas-based bottled water company must pay to those who were affected by their water in 2021. Tests found the water contained hydrazine, a chemical used in rocket fuel that caused liver damage in those who drank it. The company was found unintentionally negligent as they didn’t know the chemical was in the water, and didn’t know how to test for it.

75: the number of people infected by e-coli poisoning after eating at McDonald’s. Last week we told you that the outbreak might’ve been linked to the Quarter Pounder burger but the Department of Agriculture has ruled out the beef patties as the cause.

Postcall Picks ✅

😭 Laugh: at the day in the life of a family doc.

🤑 Save: on kitchen appliances with Ninja Kitchen’s Halloween sale! Take up to $80 off select items!

📺 Watch: this video of police officers putting out a fire after someone set a ballot box up in flames!

Relax

First Question: Memory distortion or fabrication, seen in patients with Wernicke-Korsakoff.

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