Bill Schu

A study in BMC Psychiatry suggests that using both the Suicide Intent Scale (SIS) and the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale (KIVS) combined may be better for predicting completed suicide than using them separately. According to the study, "The nonsignificant correlation between the scales indicates that they measure different components of suicide risk."

A common liver health measurement could be a strong indicator of risk of hepatosteatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a Taiwanese study in BMJ Open suggests.

Pachyonychia congenita (PC), a rare skin disorder, can cause an inordinate amount of neuropathic pain, a study in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology confirms. In the chilling words used by the researchers, "The health states observed in this sample are at a level that the average US citizen would forfeit one-third of their remaining lifespan to avoid."

There is not yet enough clinical evidence suggesting that cannabis is effective for self-management of pain. Some short-duration trials have shown efficacy, whereas other studies have shown little improvement over placebo. Effective or not, however, cannabis continues to be widely used as a self-management strategy by patients with a wide range of symptoms and diseases. A study in The Journal of Pain suggests that such use over a one-year period did not increase patients' risk of serious adverse events.

A study in the British Journal of Pain examined ethnic differences in pain tolerance and came to a strong, perhaps not so shocking, conclusion.

A study in Arthritis Research & Therapy found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience shoulder pain early in the course of the disease, suggesting that screening of shoulder function should become a larger focus for maintenance and treatment of RA.

A first-in-human Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–regulated phase 1 safety study of subcutaneous infiltration of sodium channel blocker Neosaxitoxin (NeoSTX) with bupivacaine produced long-lasting anesthesia but no serious adverse events, according to a study in Anesthesiology.

Researchers have identified a biomarker that could help clinicians determine whether patients with alcohol use disorders would benefit from treatment with acamprosate.

Researchers are preparing to launch a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to see if it is more effective than typical cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of depression.

Researchers conducted a literature search to compare the approach, delivery, and effectiveness of various psychological interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, and guided self-help.

A study in the Annals of Family Medicine illustrated the difficulty in effectively implementing evidence-based care, even when the initiative is supported by an experienced quality improvement collaborative, or when when payment incentives are adjusted with the end goal of increasing collaborative care.

A study in BMC Dermatology suggested that adherence to pharmacological treatment and adjuvant therapies are both key factors for improvement in cases of mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

A study in eLife has found two regulator genes that may be key suspects in cleft lip, skin barrier defects, and a host of other developmental problems in mice.

An upcoming series of studies will look at gaps in understanding the development, diagnosis, and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety related disorders (AD), which account for a significant proportion of mental health conditions, according to an article in BMC Psychiatry.

Mobile phone applications offer a significant opportunity to improve treatment for bipolar disorder, but they're not ready for prime time yet. In fact, a study in the Journal of Internet Medical Research looked at the most recent apps and found significant gaps that need to be addressed, in terms of agreement with medical guidelines, comprehensive information, and privacy matters.

An Iranian study in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies suggested that acupuncture given during childbirth significantly lowers the duration of labor with no significant variations in pain scores or serum cortisol levels between the acupuncture-administered and control groups.

A study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders suggests that multinucleated giant cells (MGC) may contribute to osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in addition to their known association with synovitis severity. The finding adds to other recent research and points to the therapeutic potential of targeting MGCs to improve pain and joint damage in both types of arthritis.

Chronic paronychia is probably a form of hand dermatitis associated with prolonged wet work, suggests a study in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology. It is among a series of recent studies that have determined that chronic paronchia is not an infection resulting from Candida, a genus of yeasts that is the most common cause of fungal infections. The distinction is important, because it may make a difference in how the condition is treated.

Certolizumab pegol (CZP) + methotrexate (MTX) is safe and effective for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with disease activity despite methotrexate therapy, according to a five-year follow-up study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy. The finding is an extension of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Prevention of Structural Damage (RAPID 2) randomized, controlled trial. It is important because patients with RA are likely to undergo treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) medications over several years.

Last night's Republican primary debate provided further evidence that many people still believe that autism is caused by vaccines.

A study in PLOS One found evidence that fat metaplasia in sacroiliac joints (SIJ) is significantly associated with spinal progression for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

A study in Translational Psychiatry has identified two genetic variations – single nucleotide polymorphisms – that may predict response to antidepressant drugs in Korean patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD).

Massive weight loss (MWL) provides obvious health benefits, including reducing morbidity and mortality risks, but it brings some medical and psychological challenges as well. MWL patients are often left with excessive amounts of sagging skin, particularly in the thighs, under the arms, around the abdomen, and around the face.

Study results show that health care practitioners who treat psoriasis patients often miss important opportunities to communicate the cardiovascular risks those patients are likely to face.

Researchers are planning a study that will look at the behavioral and biological factors behind Binge-Eating Disorder, including the brain circuits and chemistry that may help explain the condition.

Melanoma and other types of skin cancer are among the many types of cancer poised to benefit greatly from genomic research that identifies susceptibilities and potential targets for genetic-based therapy. A recent paper in Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research suggests, however, that an entire category of genetic mutations – one that could be incredibly fruitful in terms of diagnosis and treatment – is largely being ignored.

Treatment advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including the development and widespread deployment of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic therapies, mean that patients now often have significant periods of low disease activity. But a study in Arthritis Research & Therapy indicates that even patients reaching sustained remission report some potential neuropathic pain even when inflammation is well-controlled.

Women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea – painful menstruation in the absence of any sort of pelvic pathology – are unlikely to think much of it, chalking it up to a normal part of the menstrual cycle. A review in Human Reproduction Update, however, suggests that health professionals and pain researchers also generally ignore the condition.

A study in Drug Design, Development, and Therapy provides further evidence that omalizumab is safe and effective for treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Omalizumab is currently used to treat adult and pediatric patients with asthma and is FDA-approved for use in patients with CSU refractory to antihistamines. These results further outline the effectiveness of the drug in treating CSU and suggest a bump for omalizumab in the typical treatment protocol for CSU.

As summer comes to a close and many have already sent their children off to a new year of school, a study in PLOS One suggests that children who have asthma or eczema may face significant challenges fitting in with their peers.