Remote Physician Visits for Hospital-level Care at Home Generally Noninferior to In-Home Visits

Female patient speaking to doctor via virtual telehealth appointment on laptop

David M. Levine, MD, MPH, MA, and Jeffrey L. Schnipper, MD, MPH, of the Division of General Internal Medicine & Primary Care, and colleagues found patients who received predominantly remote physician care via videoconference had a noninferior number of adverse events compared with those who had only in-home care.

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Vitamin C Modestly Reduces Risk of New Gout in Men

Vitamin c oval tablets spilling out of pill bottle into a wooden spoon and onto wooden surface

In a large randomized trial, Howard D. Sesso, ScD, MPH, associate director of the Division of Preventive Medicine, and colleagues determined vitamin C supplementation was associated with a lower risk of new gout diagnosis in adult men, whereas supplemental vitamin E had no effect.

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The Value of Geriatric Expertise in Care of Older Emergency General Surgery Patients

Young female nurse with mask looks down at older patient in wheelchair in front of bright window

In 2020, the Brigham launched a geriatric surgical service to improve outcomes and quality of care for older emergency general surgery patients. A paper details the care of patients at the service and the important role of geriatricians in serving this patient population, co-author Frances Y. Hu explains.

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VITAL Study Findings Show Vitamin D3 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do Not Reduce Frailty Risk

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After analyzing data from the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL), Brigham investigators have concluded that neither vitamin D3 nor omega-3 fatty acid supplementation prevents frailty in generally healthy older adults. Ariela Orkaby, MD, MPH, corresponding author of the new ancillary study, discusses the findings.

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Frequent Use of Over-the-Counter Analgesics Linked to Persistent Tinnitus

Rendering of blue head with red radiating from ear, tinnitus concept

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have determined aspirin and other over-the-counter analgesics are associated with the risk of persistent tinnitus, although the direction and magnitude differ for individual agents.

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Video Decision Aids Plus Remote Clinician Training Improved Advance Care Planning During COVID-19

Doctor on video call with older female patient

The need for advance care planning (ACP) was especially heightened for older, Black, and Latino/a/x patients at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brigham researchers tested an ACP intervention with video decision aids and remote clinician training, reporting improved ACP documentation rapidly and efficiently.

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Complexity of the Geriatric Patient: Q&A With Dr. Houman Javedan

Close up of older patient holding cane and being helped by medical professional

In an effort to clearly define the role of a geriatrician and establish best practices for the treatment of geriatric patients, Houman Javedan, MD, clinical director for the Division of Aging, developed a Geriatrics Clinical Reasoning curriculum that has completely transformed geriatric care at the Brigham.

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Black Elders Show Greater Posttraumatic Growth During COVID-19 Than White Elders

Black older man sitting at edge of bed wearing COVID-19 mask

Patrizia Vannini, PhD, of the Department of Neurology, and colleagues conducted the first study of posttraumatic growth and other mental health factors related to COVID-19 among older adults. They describe how the pandemic affected Black and white older adults differently and name ways to foster posttraumatic growth.

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New Epigenetic Clock Can Profile the Biological Age of Single Cells

3D rendering of single human cell concept

The Brigham’s Vadim N. Gladyshev, PhD, and colleagues have developed an epigenetic clock that allows predictions of biological age at the single-cell level, pointing to a new direction of aging research with applications for somatic, germline and cancer cells.

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