Page 4 – NCAL Research Spotlight

More women using cannabis daily before and during pregnancy, Kaiser Permanente research finds

July 19, 2019
Alcohol and drug, Maternal/infant health, Pharmacoepidemiology, Press Release, Women’s health
1 Comment

The number of women using cannabis in the year before they get pregnant and early in their pregnancies is increasing, and their frequency of use is also rising, according to new data from Kaiser Permanente.

New study finds both components of blood pressure predict heart attack, stroke risk

July 17, 2019
Cardiovascular, Press Release, Prevention
1 Comment

“This research brings a large amount of data to bear on a basic question, and it gives such a clear answer,” said lead author Alexander C. Flint, MD, PhD, Kaiser Permanente stroke specialist and adjunct researcher with the Division of Research. “Every way you slice the data, the systolic and diastolic pressures are both important.”

Kaiser Permanente machine learning analysis of sepsis illustrates condition’s complexity

July 17, 2019
Biostatistics, Delivery Science, Hospital systems, Press Release
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A new machine learning algorithm developed by Kaiser Permanente researchers reveals the complexity of sepsis by sorting patients into recognizable treatment subgroups.

Prediction tool could identify more patients at risk of getting HIV

Kaiser Permanente researchers have developed a new analytical tool that identifies people at risk of contracting HIV so they may be referred for preventive medication.

Lower surgical opioid dosage leads to less long-term use, Kaiser Permanente research finds

June 19, 2019
Alcohol and drug, Pain management, Press Release
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Surgical patients given less opioids and more alternative methods of pain control were less likely to continue using opioids 6 months to a year later, an analysis by Kaiser Permanente Northern California researchers finds.

Clinical tool accurately predicts children’s appendicitis risk in Kaiser Permanente emergency rooms

June 19, 2019
Children’s health, Emergency department, Hospital systems, Informatics
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Erring on the side of caution, emergency physicians tend to order CT scans to evaluate appendicitis in children, “but research shows that we weren’t necessarily catching more appendicitis,” Dr. Cotton said. “CT scans are costly and expose children to ionizing radiation that can increase the risk of cancer. At the same time, emergency physicians do not want to miss an important diagnosis like appendicitis.”

‘Motivational interview’ may lessen problem drinking in people with HIV

A single, 45-minute “motivational interview” with two 20-minute follow-up phone calls may help people with HIV who report unhealthy drinking reduce their alcohol intake, say researchers at UC San Francisco and Kaiser Permanente.

Pregnancy history of red-blood-cell donors not linked to higher mortality in transfusion recipients

June 11, 2019
Health Policy, Hospital systems, Infectious disease
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Division of Research investigators participated in a multi-institution collaborative analysis, which supported the safety of current transfusion practice within Kaiser Permanente’s network of community hospitals.

Waning potency of pertussis vaccine a significant contributor to recent whooping cough outbreaks

June 9, 2019
Adolescent Health, Children’s health, Infectious disease, Press Release, Vaccine research, Vaccines
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Children who were up to date on their pertussis vaccine schedule were far less likely to develop the disease than those unvaccinated. The risk of vaccinated children becoming ill increased with time since vaccination, suggesting waning effectiveness.

Hepatitis C drugs not associated with more adverse events

Direct-acting antiviral agents used to treat patients with the hepatitis C virus are not associated with higher rates of adverse liver, kidney, and cardiovascular events, according to research published in JAMA Network Open and supported by data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California.