Medical journal news series - February 2023
News this month from some of the top medical journals, brought to you with commentary by Dr. Neuman
‘Does this apply to you’ series opening 09/01/2023.
Screening for Genital Herpes without symptoms is still not recommended by experts
The USPSTF (United State Preventive Services Task Force), the leading independent medical task force giving recommendations to the government and public, reaffirmed its 2016 call to not screen for genital Herpes.
Dr. Neuman says: With a staggering 30-50% false positive rate (test comes positive though the person does not have the infection), the available tests are just not good enough to tell us who has the infection in people without the rash or other symptoms. Many people are told they have genital Herpes but do not have it if they were only screened via bloodwork.
Does this apply to you? If you have been told that you have HSV-1 or HSV-2 and have never had the clear bumps or itching associated with Herpes, please reach out. We should discuss if you may have had a false-positive test.
Eye drops reduce the risk of nearsightedness (cannot see far) by half
In a trial of 474 kids aged 4-9 in Hong Kong, nightly atropine eye drops reduced the risk of Myopia by half over two years without an increase in any adverse effects.
Dr. Neuman says: ⅓ of Americans suffer from nearsightedness (called Myopia). It will be interesting to see if a future study done with a population from the USA that may be more diverse has this same benefit. For families with Myopia in multiple family members, it could be helpful to think about this for your kids.
Low-wage earners have worse health outcomes
Earning lower wages (under the poverty line for a family of four or below ⅔ of median income) was associated with a 35% higher chance of death from any cause in 4002 people over 50.
Dr. Neuman says: A surprise to no one in the primary care field. This study shows how public policy and earning potential are essential components of ensuring health for everyone.
Ultrasound nerve blocking decreased blood pressure by 8 points on average
In a two-month trial, after the one-time procedures without significant adverse effects, people's blood pressure was much better than those who got a placebo sham procedure.
Dr. Neuman says: It will be interesting to see longer-term studies, though this will be great—a medication-free option for folks, or in addition to meds for those with bad cases.
It is not posted online yet. JAMA Volume 329, No 8, pages 651-661
Long COVID more likely for some
In a study of Italian healthcare workers, unvaccinated women were more likely to get Long COVID after infection.
Dr. Neuman says: Luckily, Long COVID has been less likely with the more recent variants (Omicron) of COVID compared with strains from 2020 and early 2021. This may help inform people’s decisions should they be on the fence about vaccination (especially if a new strain that causes more Long COVID comes out).
