July 2014, Vol 174, No. 7, Pages 1017-1205

Sugiyama and colleagues examine the difference in the temporal trends of caloric and fat intake between statin users and nonusers among US adults.

Bao et al examine the role of physical activity and television watching and other sedentary behaviors, and changes in these behaviors in the progression from gestational diabetes mellitus to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hedderson and Ferrara provide an Invited Commentary.

Joffe et al determine the efficacy and tolerability of low-dose oral 17β-estradiol and low-dose venlafaxine extended release in alleviating vasomotor symptoms. The primary outcome was the mean daily frequency of vasomotor symptoms after 8 weeks of treatment among 339 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with at least 2 bothersome symptoms per day.

Schwartz et al develop claims-based measures of low-value services, examine service use (and associated spending) detected by these measures in Medicare, and determine whether patterns of use are related across different types of low-value services. See also the editor’s note by Katz et al.

Semba and colleagues set out to determine whether resveratrol levels achieved with diet are associated with inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in humans.

Auriemma and coauthors systematically evaluate the evidence on the stability of end-of-life preferences over time and with changes in health status.

Leppin et al synthesize the evidence of the efficacy of interventions to reduce early hospital readmissions and identify intervention features—including their impact on treatment burden and on patients’ capacity to enact postdischarge self-care—that might explain their varying effects.

Wu et al compare the diagnostic performance of the UAC vs the ACR in random urine samples for microalbuminuria screening among patients with DM. A literature search identified clinical studies assessing the UAC or the ACR using a urinary albumin excretion rate of 30 to 300 mg/d in 24-hour timed urine collections as the criterion standard.

Lipska and coauthors characterize changes in hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia hospitalization rates and subsequent mortality and readmission rates among older adults in the United States over a 12-year period and compare these results according to age, sex, and race.

Bauer et al test methods of predicting fracture risk among women who have discontinued alendronate therapy after 4 to 5 years of treatment.

Beaudoin et al describe an outbreak of severe group A Streptococcus infections among persons undergoing tumescent liposuction between July 1 and September 14, 2012, at 2 outpatient cosmetic surgery facilities (one in Maryland and the other in Pennsylvania) not subject to state or federal regulation. See the invited commentary by Morgan and Harris.

Keyserling and colleagues assess the effectiveness, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness of a combined lifestyle and medication intervention to reduce coronary heart disease risk offered in counselor-based and web-based formats. In their related Invited Commentary, Moin and Mangione expand on the topic.

Nassar and colleagues examine the impact of ICU TM on mortality rates and length of stay in an integrated health care system. See also the invited commentary by Wilcox and Wiener-Kronish.