Here are 17 articles on medical research study findings from the week of Feb. 1.
1. A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control showed inpatient probiotic use has grown considerably in the U.S. over the last few years. Read more.
2. A clinical trial conducted at Mayo Clinic Florida in Jacksonville revealed passive visual stimuli can encourage self-directed hand hygiene compliance among healthcare staff. Read more.
3. New research from Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine and Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System suggests higher levels of physical fitness can improve the chances of survival after a first heart attack. Read more.
4. Swabbing newborns with gauze containing bacteria from their mothers' vaginal fluid populates them with bacteria that untreated infants lack, according to recent research. Read more.
5. Chlorhexidine, an antiseptic frequently used to bathe patients in intensive care units, was shown to prevent infections without increasing drug resistance. Read more.
6. Recent research shows proton pump inhibitors are associated with numerous adverse events, including increased risk of chronic kidney diseases and kidney injury. Read more.
7. A study presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting suggests using adjunctive azithromycin may prevent infections in women who have undergone a cesarean delivery. Read more.
8. Extending hours for surgical residents doesn't negatively affect patient care, according the New England Journal of Medicine. In fact, longer hours may improve patient recovery if surgical residents stay with patients post-operation. Read more.
9. In a study of over 57,000 patients, Taiwanese researchers found the influenza virus is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, and that the standard flu vaccine can to some extent prevent complications. Read more.
10. An analysis of National Immunization Survey data revealed flu vaccination rates are on the rise among babies and young children ages 6 to 23 months, but are still low. Read more.
11. Legionnaires' disease is typically spread when a person breathes in contaminated water droplets or mist, but a case out of Portugal suggests the illness may spread another way as well: from person to person. Read more.
12. A new study found delaying patient rounds until after 8 a.m. improved patient satisfaction among postpartum mothers trying to catch up on their shuteye. Read more.
13. Researchers tested a number of strategies to incentivize people who care for infants to get vaccinated against pertussis and found even vouchers for free booster shots did not help. Read more.
14. Surgical checklists may play a role in shortening patient hospital stays, according to new research in JAMA Surgery. Read more.
15. St. Louis-based Washington University School of Medicine researchers say prepping women undergoing a C-section with chlorhexidine-alcohol is significantly more effective at reducing infections than the current standard involving iodine-alcohol. Read more.
16. Exposure to certain chronic viral infections may accelerate cognitive decline in otherwise healthy older adults. Read more.
17. When a city has a team in the Super Bowl, it experiences a roughly 18 percent uptick in influenza deaths that year, according to a study published in the American Journal of Health Economics. Read more.