Dartmouth Medical School Digest
September 2008

News for our community

In this issue

Glucose challenge
New Dartmouth Medical School/VA findings question the benefits of tight glucose control, a common practice for critically ill patients. An analysis led by Dr. Renda Soylemez Wiener found that the practice does not reduce risk of hospital death and may increase the risk of abnormally low blood sugar. The study, published in the Aug. 27 JAMA, suggests that the guidelines be re-evaluated until larger clinical trials are done.

Pushing donor organ boundaries
Challenging the organ retrieval strategies in recently reported infant heart transplants, a DMS expert called for new guidelines before rushing ahead further. Dr. James Bernat urged physicians and ethicists to reassess the definitions death for organ donors, based on scientific data and accepted principles. His perspective appeared in the Aug. 14 New England Journal of Medicine.

Inside out
Repairing life-threatening chest injuries from inside the vessel can help save lives and avoid major surgery, according to a DMS review. Dr. Eric Hoffer and colleagues found that interventional radiology to treat blunt trauma from high-speed collisions or falls decreases death as well as disability from paraplegia, a common complication of surgery for the thoracic damage. The study was reported in the August Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.

Academic affairs dean
A Dartmouth Medical School neuroscientist has been named senior associate dean for academic affairs. Dr. Leslie Henderson, recognized for her work on how steroids influence brain function and behavior, assumes her new responsibilities effective Sept. 1. She will work closely with other medical school leaders on academic excellence and issues related to faculty recruitment, development and promotion.

Kids see violent movies
Despite the R ratings for violence, too many youngsters see extremely violent movies, report DMS researchers, raising doubts about the value of the current movie rating system. The nationwide survey, by James Sargent and colleagues, documented widespread exposure among10-14 year olds to movies with graphic violence. It was published in the August issue of Pediatrics.


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