Image by broma via Flickr

Soon, your underwear may help manage your chronic medical conditions.

Scientists have invented underpants that can transmit its wearer’s vital signs to healthcare professionals.

Printed on the waistband and in constant contact with the skin is an electronic biosensor, designed to measure blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs.

via U.S. scientists design smart underpants that could save lives – Yahoo! News.

The short-term intended audience is the US military.  It’s hoped that this technology will help medics monitor soldiers’ field injuries remotely.  Long-term, however, they hope to expand the skivvies’ duties to more complex diagnostics and even delivery of medications.  Which begs the question:  what happens when the prescription needs a refill?  And wouldn’t laundering be problematic?  Still, it’s an interesting concept.

Image via Wikipedia

Lately I’ve been extolling the virtues of playing soccer–it’s part aerobic workout, part strategy game, part drama class, and has even been shown to ward off osteoporosis.  But I never stopped to think about the people on the field who are getting the best workout of all–the referees.

Referees, who can be twice the age of the players, sprint across the field keeping up with the players and closely tracking the action. They tend to run 12 miles during the game — five more than the players, according to data from the U.S. Soccer Federation.

via World Cup referees outrun players – CNN.com.

This article is worth reading in its entirety.  The workouts that these guys endure are nuts, and then they have to pass a series of fitness tests to prove that they’re up to the task of supervising a World Cup soccer game.  And unlike the players, they don’t get subs.

So if you’re a soccer player, my hat’s off to you.  It’s a great workout.  But if you’re a soccer referee, I’m in awe.

Image via Wikipedia

Soon your cardiologist may be handing you a toothbrush as you walk out the door.

British researchers studied nearly 12,000 adults in Scotland and found those with poor oral hygiene had a 70 percent extra risk of heart disease compared with those who brushed twice a day and who were less likely to have unhealthy gums.

via Regular teeth brushing linked to healthier hearts | Reuters.

This actually isn’t entirely new.  For years scientists have known that periodontal disease is associated with coronary artery disease.  And while it would seem that this would go without saying, this is the first study that I’m aware of that looks at frequency of brushing and its relation to heart disease.  I’m sure they’ll look at flossing next, if they haven’t started already, at which point my dentist is sure to give me an earful.

Image by billaday via Flickr

One of the many hats I sometimes wear is reviewer of submitted articles to a major medical journal.  Maybe I’m a bit of a geek, but I take this role very seriously:  I don’t want to be the guy who gave the thumbs-up to a study, only to have it be published and found to be complete garbage.  By way of example, I’m sure the folks who reviewed the article that ultimately led to the downfall of a certain British doctor are feeling rather uncomfortable right now.

An area that I pay particular attention to is the statistics used in the study.  A huge pet peeve of mine, which I’m sure you’ll recognize if you’ve read any of my previous posts, is the reporting of relative risk to make an intervention seem more beneficial than it actually is.  Another is playing up the positive results while either downplaying the negative results, or ignoring them altogether.

A recent study suggests that my compulsions may be warranted.

More than half of 72 reports examined by French and British researchers had dressed up their conclusions to make it seem as if new treatments were beneficial, even though they weren’t according to the statistics in the report.

via Negative research often spun to look good: study | Reuters.

To me, this is incredibly disturbing. By allowing reports to be published with significant “spin”, we’re misleading the public and practitioners alike, sometimes with significant negative effects. For example:

When a clinical study was published in 2000 comparing Vioxx with an older drug, the authors downplayed the risk of heart attack: Instead of reporting the five-fold increase in risk, they chose to frame it as a protective effect of the older drug.

via Negative research often spun to look good: study | Reuters.

This is why I’ve instituted a curriculum in statistics within the residency program I oversee. Physicians need to be able to critically review studies and have the tools to analyze the conclusions of the researchers. We need to empower individuals to honestly question research, even published research in peer-reviewed journals.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an article to review.

Burrito? Image by Getty Images Europe via @daylife

The Brevard County doctor who was arrested for groping a woman while dressed as Captain America with a burrito in his pants will not go to jail.

via No Jail Time For Man Arrested In Captain America Costume – News Story – WFTV Orlando.

Seriously.  I’m going to have to remember to not go out drinking next time I’m wearing my Wonder Woman outfit.