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Individuals who suffer from knee pain also may suffer from neuropathic-like knee pain (NKP)—a result of localized damage to the nervous system and nerve fibers around a joint. Recent research aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of NKP, finding that NKP is driven by central risk factors and may require unique prevention and treatment strategies.

With healthcare in the spotlight after this week's midterm elections, there are a number of things elected officials can do to encourage hospital safety, said the head of the Leapfrog Group as it released its fall 2018 rankings of Hospital Safety Grades.

Inhaled corticosteroids, used for preventing acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), often lead to increased high blood eosinophil count, while low blood eosinophil count is often associated with pneumonia risk—however, the prognostic role of blood eosinophil count has not yet been explored. In a recent study, researchers found that the severity of emphysema was independently linked with low blood eosinophil count and the longer survival period was associated with increased blood eosinophil count.

Healthcare was a key factor in the 2018 midterm elections and gave Democrats the ability to stop the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and make some other changes to Medicare and Medicaid, but did not produce enough of a victory to advance major changes; voters in 2 states rejected 2 separate union-backed ballot measures that would have affected dialysis clinics and hospitals; in California, Governor-elect Gavin Newsom campaigned on a platform of single-payer health insurance overhaul, but now that he’s won, he and the Democratic-controlled legislature will take a slower approach.

A study published in the journal mBio has found a correlation between regions where mycobacteria are most prevalent in showerhead biofilm and regions where nontuberous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infections are the most prevalent, providing more evidence about the important role played by showerheads in transmission of NTM lung infections in the United States and Europe.

A report from the President’s Cancer Panel has found that use of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines remain low, despite improvements; Novartis believes that its new gene therapy to treat spinal muscular atrophy could cost $4 million to $5 million per patient; the chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society (ACS) resigned over concerns regarding controversial fundraising partnerships.

The FDA has approved a new sublingual formulation of sufentanil, Dsuvia, for the management of acute pain in adults in medically supervised healthcare settings, such as hospitals, surgical centers, and emergency departments. The drug is supplied in a 30 microgram tablet in a single-dose, prefilled applicator for administration by a healthcare professional, and it will not be available in retail pharmacies or for outpatient use.

Sandoz announced it will no longer pursue FDA approval for its proposed biosimilar rituximab; when it comes time to set the clocks back an hour for daylight saving time, hospitals opt for paper records during the night shift to compensate for challenges with electronic health records; new research on the effectiveness of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines finds little evidence that these products will relieve a child’s symptoms when sick.