Protective Effects of β-Blockers on Bone in Older Adults with Dementia.

Increased β-adrenergic receptor activity has been hypothesized to cause bone loss in those with dementia. We investigated the effect of long-term β-blocker use on rate of bone loss in older adults with dementia. We used a linear mixed-effects model to estimate the relationship between long-term β-blocker use and rate of bone loss in participants from the Health Aging and Body Composition study.

Elevated parathyroid hormone levels in older women treated for osteoporosis using denosumab.

Purpose: Primary care physicians (PCPs) often struggle with elevated serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in osteoporotic patients on antiresorptive treatment, specifically, denosumab. As iPTH and calcium levels need to be within normal ranges to receive the next dose of denosumab, continuously high serum iPTH may necessitate additional tests to rule out pathological causes. We aimed to determine factors associated with iPTH elevation in a cohort of postmenopausal women receiving osteoporosis treatment.

COVID-19: Perceived Infection Risk and Barriers to Uptake of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Vaccines Among Community Healthcare Workers.

Background: The health and economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic have prompted the need for a timely and effective vaccine development. While the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in record time is being hailed as a scientific feat, skepticism about the safety, side effects, and even its long-term effects remain. Acceptance of the vaccine may therefore be a challenge among healthcare workers (HCWs), whose role is considered a proxy to determining the COVID-19 vaccine uptake response by the general population.

Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors Are Associated with Reduced Fracture Risk among Older Veterans with Dementia.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) have been noted to increase bone density and quality in mice. Human studies are limited but suggest an association with improved bone healing after hip fracture. We examined the relationship between AChEI use and fracture risk in a national cohort of 360,015 male veterans aged 65 to 99 years with dementia but without prior fracture using Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, Medicare, and pharmacy records from 2000 to 2010.

Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy and Maternal and Neonatal Health Among Hispanic Women.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal health outcomes among Hispanics. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Hispanic women who delivered at a Houston hospital between January 2011 and October 2012; 613 women completed self-administered questionnaires in the postpartum window prior to discharge. Indices of maternal and neonatal health were compared between women with and without reports of IPV during the most recent pregnancy.

Non-utilization of the Pap Test Among Women with Frequent Health System Contact.

Despite improvements in health access, many underserved women abstain from cervical cancer screening. A self-administered questionnaire was used to identify factors determining whether medically underserved women attending a safety net health system regularly are screened for cervical cancer. Approximately 11 % of study subjects had never received a Pap test despite an average of nearly four clinic visits in the preceding 12 months.

The impact of multiple single day blood pressure readings on cardiovascular risk estimation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of change in estimated cardiovascular disease risk when multiple same day blood pressure measurements are used in estimating coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke risks.

Methods And Results: Black and White participants, N = 11,129, enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (mean age 53.9 ± 5.

Assessment of factors impacting cervical cancer screening among low-income women living with HIV-AIDS.

Very little is currently known about factors impacting the prevalence of cervical cancer screening among women living with HIV-AIDS (WLHA). To better understand this issue, we surveyed low-income, medically underserved women receiving subsidized gynecologic care through an integrated HIV clinic. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 209 women who self-identified as HIV positive.

Preferences and Outcomes for Chemotherapy Teaching in a Postgraduate Obstetrics and Gynecology Training Program.

Purpose: To determine whether chemotherapy teaching is a desired component of postgraduate training programs in obstetrics and gynecology and assess its effect on practicing clinicians.

Method: After obtaining institutional review board approval, 99 individuals who completed postgraduate training at a single academic medical center between 2005 and 2013 were invited to complete an online survey. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses.