Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, but 46 to 83 percent of patients don't adhere to therapy because of discomfort. New developments, however, are making them more comfortable to use:
To refer a patient to the UCSF Sleep Disorders Center, call (415) 885-7886 or visit www.UCSFhealth.org/sleepdisorders. Read more in the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society (2008 Feb. 15; 5(2):173-8).
Bariatric surgery is more successful than medical therapy alone to reduce type 2 diabetes in obese patients, according to clinical trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine. One study (NEJM, Aug. 23, 2012) followed 1,658 bariatric surgery patients and 1,771 obese matched controls for up to 15 years. Patients didn't have diabetes at baseline. Nonrandomized, matched, prospective controls received standard care, including medical therapy and lifestyle changes. More control group patients developed type 2 diabetes (392 vs. 110), corresponding to incidence rates of 28.4 cases per 1,000 person-years and 6.8 cases per 1,000 person-years, respectively.
Another study (NEJM, April 26, 2012) evaluated intensive medical therapy for type 2 diabetes alone versus medical therapy plus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy in 150 obese patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Within a year, diabetes remission rates with bariatric surgery were 40 percent, compared to 12 percent for patients treated with medical therapy alone.
To refer a patient to the UCSF Bariatric Surgery Center, call (415) 353-2804. Referral guidelines are at www.UCSFhealth.org/bariatric. The center is accredited by the Bariatric Surgery Center Network of the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 center. That means it provides comprehensive bariatric care, has a high volume and manages the most challenging and complex patients. New patients are seen within two weeks of referral. Patient diet and weight loss history is necessary for insurance authorization.
UCSF research shows that two surgeons operating together at an experienced spine center decreases major complications and reduces operative time and blood loss during pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) to correct fixed sagittal plane deformity. PSO is a common treatment for scoliosis, flatback syndrome and kyphosis and is associated with a high complication rate, significant perioperative morbidity and substantial blood loss. A study, published in the January 2013 issue of Spine Deformity and conducted by UCSF spine surgeons Dr. Christopher Ames and Dr. Vedat Deviren, included 78 cases from 2005 to 2010 divided into single versus two surgeon groups.
Forty-five percent of single surgeon patients compared to 25 percent of two surgeon patients experienced at least one major complication within 30 days. In the single surgeon group, 19 percent had unplanned surgery within 30 days versus 8 percent in the two surgeon group. The UCSF Spine Center is one of a few centers in the country that offers the dual-surgeon approach. To refer a patient, call the UCSF Spine Center at (866) 81-SPINE or (866) 817-7463, or visit www.UCSFhealth.org/spine.
About 4 million Americans have Sjögren's syndrome, the second most common systemic autoimmune disease in the U.S. Because the main symptoms — dry mouth and dry eyes — are common and non-specific, classification criteria were developed to optimize selection of participants for clinical trials. Criteria — provisionally endorsed by the American College of Rheumatology and developed by the UCSF-led Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance (SICCA) — use the following tests:
Two of the three tests must be positive to meet the classification criteria. Criteria are described in Arthritis Care and Research (Vol. 64, No. 4, April 2012, pp 475–487).
The UCSF Sjögren's Syndrome Clinic is the only one of its kind on the West Coast. To refer a patient, call (415) 476-2045 or visit www.UCSFhealth.org/sjogrens.
UCSF Women's Health has opened a new clinic — UCSF Obstetrics and Gynecology Services at Mission Bay — at 1500 Owens St., Suite 380 in San Francisco. To make an appointment, call (415) 353-4600. The clinic is part of UCSF's nationally designated Center of Excellence in Women's Health, the only such center in Northern California. For more information, see www.UCSFhealth.org/obgynmb.
The UCSF Research Participant Registry helps connect research participants to clinical studies. Participants don't have to be ill to join the registry. Healthy participants are needed too. The registry is currently recruiting for:
For more information, visit https://ucsfregistry.secure.force.com/SiteRegister or call toll-free (855) 855-8273 (UCSF).
UCSF's Continuing Medical Education Program offers courses throughout the year. Upcoming conferences include:
For more information, call the CME office at (415) 476-4251 or visit www.cme.ucsf.edu.
The Physician Liaison Service assists physicians, medical groups and health plans refer patients or arrange consultations.
Phone: (800) 444-2559
Fax: (415) 353-4395
Email: referral.center@ucsfmedctr.org
Website: www.UCSFhealth.org/healthprofessionals
Our toll-free Access Center is the gateway for all services at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Phone: (877) 822-4453 (UC-CHILD)
Websites: www.UCSFbenioffchildrens.org/accesscenter and www.UCSFbenioffchildrens.org/healthprofessionals
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