Sharon Worcester is an award-winning medical journalist for MDedge News. She has been with the company since 1996, first as the Southeast Bureau Chief (1996-2009) when the company was known as International Medical News Group, then as a freelance writer (2010-2015) before returning as a reporter in 2015. She previously worked as a daily newspaper reporter covering health and local government. Sharon currently reports primarily on oncology and hematology. She has a BA from Eckerd College and an MA in Mass Communication/Print Journalism from the University of Florida. Connect with her via LinkedIn and follow her on twitter @SW_MedReporter.
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Cortical stimulation device provides safe, sustained seizure reduction
Major finding: The median reduction in seizure frequency was 38.9% at 1 year and 51.1% at 2 years; 20% of patients were free of seizures for at...
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Folic acid supplementation low among women with epilepsy
Major finding: Only 46% of reproductive-age women with epilepsy who were considered to be at risk for becoming pregnant were taking a folic acid...
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Nursing while taking antiepileptic drugs appears safe
Major finding: IQ and Verbal Index scores were higher among children exposed to AEDs via breast milk vs. those not breastfed (adjusted mean IQ...
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Anesthetic drugs for status epilepticus linked with death, infection risk
Major finding: Patients treated with IVADs vs. those not treated with IVADs had an increased risk of death (relative risk = 3.16) and higher...
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Novel agent appears safe, effective for hyperkalemia
Major finding: Within 48 hours, 63% of patients in the group who got a 10-g dose of ZS-9 met the primary end point of at least a 1.0-mEq/L...
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Persistent electrographic seizures occur in one-third of convulsive status epilepticus patients
Major finding: Factors significantly associated with persistent electrographic seizures were prior diagnosis of epilepsy (P = .029) and the...
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Drug selection, timing for refractory convulsive status epilepticus need improvement
Major finding: Median time to first benzodiazepine drug was 30 minutes, versus a recommended time of 0-5 minutes.Data source: An observational...
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Epilepsy surgery enhances long-term quality of life
Major finding: 92% of respondents said surgery was worthwhile, including 74% of those who did not achieve Engel’s classification class I or II...
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Abatacept, anti-TNFs prove comparable after prior anti-TNFs
Major finding: At 6 and 12 months, the adjusted mean differences in CDAI for anti-TNF vs.
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Pediatric epilepsy surgery improved mood, behavior in some patients
Major finding: Scores on the Children’s Depression Inventory and the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale demonstrated clinically significant...
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Continued smoking after cancer diagnosis ups mortality risk
Major finding: Among male smokers at the time of cancer diagnosis, the risk of death was 76% greater in those who continued smoking than in those...
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Early skin-to-skin contact promotes breastfeeding, benefits baby
Major finding: Early skin-to-skin contact was significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding (odds ratio, 3.7).Data source: A retrospective...
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Regional rheumatologist distribution leaves many patients underserved
Major finding: Only 9% of metropolitan areas vs. 84% of micropolitan areas did not have a practicing ACR member rheumatologist.Data source: An...