IN THE NEWS

The Rochester Epidemiology Project has laid the foundation for hundreds of research studies to try and answer questions about health care issues that affect our community. Listed below are some of the news articles discussing the results of publications from 2014 and 2015 using REP data.

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2015

November 2015

Sniffing Out Dementia Risk

B-SIT test called a useful screening tool

Article: MEDPAGETODAY.COM

October 2015

October 26, 2015 – A few photos of Community Advisory Board members at our Women’s Expo booth this weekend.  What a great event!

Diverticulitis on the Rise in U.S. Since 2000

2000’s, a new study suggests

Article: REUTERS.COM | BY KATHRYN DOYLE

September 2015

Increased Detection of Low-Risk Tumors Driving Up Thyroid Cancer Rates Mayo Study Finds

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Low-risk cancers that do not have any symptoms and presumably will not cause problems in the future […]

Article: NEWSNETWORK.MAYOCLINIC.ORG

ESC: Warfarin May Lower Dementia Risk in Afib Patients

Study underscores link between atrial fibrillation and silent infarcts.

Article: MEDPAGETODAY.COM

August 2015

Diastolic Dysfunction Progresses More Quickly in Patients with RA

Compared with the general population, diastolic dysfunction developed more rapidly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis during a 5-year period,…

Article: HEALIO.COM

July 2015

Hysterectomy May Indicate Cardiovascular Risk in Women Under Age 50

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Hysterectomy may be a marker of early cardiovascular risk and disease,…

Article: NEWSNETWORK.MAYOCLINIC.ORG

Using the REP, researchers find what the risk factors are for long-term opioid use.

One in 4 People Prescribed Opioids Progressed to Longer-Term Prescriptions

Opioid painkiller addiction and accidental overdoses have become far too common across the United…

Article:  NEWSNETWORK.MAYOCLINIC.ORG

June 2015

Rochester Post Bulletin wrote an article about opioid use and long-term effects.

A Painful Conclusion

Opioid painkillers are the third-most prescribed drug in Olmsted County, according to the Rochester Epidemiology Project.

Article: POSTBULLETIN.COM | BY PAUL JOHN SCOTT, PSCOTT@POSTBULLETIN.COM

Steroid use in rheumatoid arthritis is started earlier in treatment than it was 20 years ago.

Steroid Use in RA More Common

More patients with rheumatoid arthritis today are initiating treatment with glucocorticoids early in the course of disease than was the case 20 years ago, a retrospective study found.

Article: MEDPAGETODAY.COM

Is it Dementia, or just normal aging?  A new tool developed using the REP may help patients find out.

Is it Dementia, or Just Normal Aging?  New Tool May Help Triage

Ronald Peterson, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist, discusses new scoring system to help determine which elderly people may be at a higher…

May 2015

Vitamin D toxicity rare in people who take supplements, researchers report
Over the last decade, numerous studies have shown that many Americans have low vitamin D levels and as a result, vitamin D supplement use has climbed in recent years. Vitamin D has been shown to boost bone health and it may play a role in preventing diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses. In light of the increased use of vitamin D supplements, researchers set out to learn more about the health of those with high vitamin D levels. They found that toxic levels are actually rare.
MedicalXpress
Original Abstract: Mayo Clinic Proceedings

More Evidence That ADHD Drugs Don’t Curb Ultimate Height

Some earlier research hinted that Ritalin and Adderall can hamper a child’s growth.  But a study of adults who took the drugs as kids now suggests any such effect is…

Article: NPR.ORG

Midlife Arts, Crafts and Socializing Tied to Better Late-Life Cognition

(Reuters Health) – In a new study of people over age 85, those who said they engaged in things like painting, quilting or book clubs during middle age were less…

Article: REUTERS.COM | BY KATHRYN DOYLE

April 2015

Midlife arts, crafts and socializing tied to better late-life cognition
A study using the Rochester Epidemiology Project found that among cognitively healthy people 85 to 89 who were followed for four years, engaging in significant social activity in mid- and late life drove down the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment by 55 percent. Engaging in craft projects in mid- to late life drove the risk of such intellectual decline down 45 percent.
Article: Reuters

Ischemic colitis rate increasing, most common in older patients with comorbidities

The incidence of ischemic colitis has increased in recent decades and is most common in older patients with multiple comorbidities, according to findings from a retrospective population-based cohort and nested case-control study.
Healio
Original Abstract: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

 

March 2015

New Tool Helps Predict Transition to Mild Cognitive Impairment
Researchers have developed a new scoring system that can help identify cognitively normal elderly individuals at risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Medscape
Original Abstract: Neurology

 

February 2015

Study Suggests More Sensitive Lung Cancer Screening Criteria Needed
A new study analyzing lung cancer incidence and screening published in the February 24 issue of JAMA identified a declining proportion of lung cancer patients meeting the current qualification criteria for high-risk screening. The study suggests that increasing numbers of patients with lung cancer would not be acceptable as candidates for screening.
Lung Disease News
Original Abstract: Journal of the American Medical Association

 

January 2015

Framingham May Fall Short in Newly Diagnosed PsA
A standard algorithm for identifying patients at risk for an adverse cardiac event underestimated the risk for patients newly diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), according to researchers.
Medpage Today
Original Abstract: Arthritis Care and Research

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2014

December 2014

Learn more about REP and how residents of Olmsted County make contributions to medical research by simply allowing access to their medical records for study!

Rochester Epidemiology Project – Improving Community Health Through Research

The Rochester Epidemiology Project is a research collaboration between health care providers in…

November 2014

Cardiovascular Disease Risk High in Spine Disease
Patients with ankylosing spondylitis have high rates of cardiovascular disease, and the risk is significantly underestimated by the Framingham risk score, a population-based study found.
Medpage Today
Original Abstract: Arthritis Care and Research

 

September 2014

More Evidence That ADHD Drugs Don’t Curb Ultimate Height
More and more kids are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and many are medicated — often with stimulant drugs like Ritalin or Adderall.  With so many children taking these drugs, plenty of parents and doctors are concerned about potential side effects, including the possibility of curbed growth.
NPR
Original Abstract: Pediatrics

View the background and findings from the most recent journal article that used REP data:

Multimorbidity in Heart Failure: A Community Perspective – The American Journal of Medicine

Comorbidities are a major concern in heart failure, leading to adverse outcomes, increased healthcare utilization, and excess mortality.

Article: AMJMED.COM

Listen to an interview with Dr. Shannon Dunlay, a cardiologist and researcher, as she describes her study on patients with heart failure and why it was important to use the Rochester Epidemiology Project.

Resuscitation Preferences in HF:  Not a One and Done Decision

Drs. Pereira and Dunlay discuss a study showing that resuscitation preferences change over time in patients with heart failure and how to broach the delicate…

Article: MEDSCAPE.COM

June 2014

Studying Heart Failure in the REP
Listen to an interview with Dr. Shannon Dunlay, a cardiologist and researcher, as she describes her study on patients with heart failure and why it was important to use the Rochester Epidemiology Project.

Original Interview: Medscape

 

May 2014

Steroid Use in RA More Common
More patients with rheumatoid arthritis today are initiating treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs) early in the course of disease than was the case 20 years ago, a retrospective study found.  These findings may reflect shifting patterns of rheumatoid arthritis treatment, away from a “step-up” approach toward an early, aggressive, treat-to-target approach.
Medpage Today
Original Abstract: Arthritis Care and Research

 

April 2014

Link between COPD and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, researchers found that a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults was associated with increased risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), especially MCI of skills other than memory, and the greatest risk was among patients who had COPD for more than five years.

Original Abstract: Neurology
Article: Healthline.com

March 2014

Link between Midlife Type 2 Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment
Researchers who used the Rochester Epidemiology Project found that there is a link between developing high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes in midlife (ages 4o to 64) and having cognitive impairment in later life (ages 65+). To learn more, access the press release and abstract at the links below.

Original Abstract: Neurology

Original Press Release: Mayo Clinic News Network

 

 

January 2014

Risks of Glaucoma Blindness Drops
Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, one research team has reported a large decrease in the probability of going blind from glaucoma. To learn more, watch the interview with Dr. Sit, the lead researcher, at the link below.
Original Press Release/Video: Mayo Clinic News Network

 

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Find More Publications

To find more publications of research studies supported by the Rochester Epidemiology Project, visit our Publications Search page. On this page, you can search hundreds of publications supported by the REP and related to almost every disease imaginable.