The Growing Role of Phenobarbital in Managing Inpatient Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2854923

Benzodiazepines have long been the standard treatment for acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in hospitalized patients, often administered using symptom-triggered protocols. However, symptom-triggered protocol scoring is subjective and can be difficult to use in patients unable to reliably report symptoms, while escalating benzodiazepine doses can lead to respiratory depression and delirium. Phenobarbital has emerged as an increasingly popular alternative to benzodiazepines and is now the predominant treatment used for AWS in many US hospitals. Phenobarbital has more predictable pharmacokinetics and acts on both γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate receptors, whereas benzodiazepines act primarily through GABA receptors, yet the evidence supporting this shift in terms of effectiveness and adverse effects in practice has remained surprisingly limited. Much of the available evidence comes from emergency department or protocol-based implementation studies, with few studies directly comparing phenobarbital with long-acting benzodiazepines such as diazepam, which have similar pharmacokinetic properties.

Communicating Uncertainty and Influence on Treatment Decision-Making by Patients
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2854922

Patients are often faced with medical decisions for which there is imperfect evidence. Studies relevant to the medical decision at hand may have weak designs, lack generalizability, or have other limitations. Acknowledging uncertainty when the available evidence has limitations is a core element of shared decision-making, but clinicians may not regularly discuss uncertainty with patients. This challenge is particularly acute in oncology, where treatments are often viewed as both essential and having substantial risks, but supporting trials frequently rely on surrogate outcomes (eg, tumor size) that leave ambiguity about effectiveness for meaningful outcomes that drive patients’ decisions (eg, disability-free survival, quality of life). Moreover, the informational materials intended to support patient decision-making often lack a balanced discussion of the uncertainty about the treatments’ risks and benefits.

Changes in US Life Expectancy From 2019 to 2024
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2854921

This cross-sectional study examines whether and how changes in drug-poisoning deaths were associated with changes in US life expectancy from 2019 to 2024.

Fluid Therapy in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Adult Patients
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855458

This cohort study characterizes contemporary global fluid therapy practices in mechanically ventilated critically ill adult patients in intensive care units.

Periorbital Purpura and Fatigue in a Man Aged 57 Years
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2855128

This case report discusses a diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis in a 57-year-old man who presented with periorbital purpura, fatigue, and biventricular hypertrophy on echocardiography.

A Proactive Digital Valve Care Pathway for Management of Severe Aortic Stenosis
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2855127

This nonrandomized clinical trial discusses a proactive digital valve care pathway and timely management of severe aortic stenosis.

Engaging With Medical Evidence in the Age of AI
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855492

Health care is, in part, an information science. Delivering optimal care requires clinicians to continually find, evaluate, and apply an expanding body of medical knowledge when caring for patients. Textbooks, journals, and expert-authored online resources have long helped clinicians navigate this task. However, practice is changing with the rapid growth and use of artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled platforms that offer seemingly more sophisticated assistance: searches tailored to key clinical details, interactive literature summaries with hyperlinks to the highest-ranked evidence sources, and tailored diagnostic and treatment recommendations. These advances extend beyond how information is retrieved to how clinicians learn, assess evidence, and determine its relevance to the patients they care for.

Announcing New Journal JAMA AI
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855493

We are pleased to announce that JAMA AI, the 14th journal in the JAMA Network, will launch in early 2027. JAMA AI will address the full spectrum of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care, from foundational advances to real-world clinical implications. We will strive to publish clinical research that involves not only AI, but the full range of computational tools as they are applied to improve human health. Beyond AI, the journal will publish impactful studies that incorporate mobile apps, wearable sensors, physiologic monitors, digital imaging and pathology, virtual reality, and all the analytic and implementation methods necessary to apply these technologies in medicine and health care. We will also publish studies that capture the effects of technology on health more broadly, including AI and social media. Roy H. Perlis, MD, MSc, will be the inaugural Editor of JAMA AI.

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids 4 Years Later
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855378

This Viewpoint discusses over-the-counter hearing aids following their authorization in 2022, highlighting the importance of clinical and policy initiatives for improving uptake and implementation.

FDA’s Testosterone Label Changes: Implications and Unresolved Issues
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855379

This Perspective discusses US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updates to testosterone product labeling and their implications for prescribing practice.

Clinician Use of an Artificial Intelligence–Enabled Clinical Information Platform
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855491

This cross-sectional study examines clinician use of an artificial intelligence–enabled clinical information platform, including the distribution of use across the clinical workforce by clinician type and specialty and the purpose of submitted queries.

Word Origins
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855386

There is little question that the American language was derived mainly from the English by the colonists who settled the eastern seaboard. That is not saying much, because English itself is a polyglot as a consequence of original language variations in the isles and the repeated infusions of new tongues by invaders and missionaries.…

Testosterone Screening Thresholds in Active-Duty US Male Service Members
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855385

This Research Letter estimates US Army–wide prevalence of healthy active-duty men aged 19 to 39 years with testosterone concentrations below the lower limit of normal.

Fasting Duration Minimally Affects Most Routine Laboratory Tests
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855643

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) reported 1136 measles cases and 5 associated deaths in 2026, as of October 9.

JAMA Editors' Summary Podcast October 16, 2026
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855707

Listen to the JAMA Editor’s Summary for an overview and discussion of the important articles appearing in JAMA.

Where Next for Lp(a)?
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855636

This Medical News article discusses the top-line results from the Lp(a)HORIZON trial, which investigated lipoprotein(a) lowering to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events.

The Primary Care Crisis
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2855637

This Medical News article discusses the US primary care shortage and efforts to address it via new training pathways, expanded opportunities for international graduates, and physician reimbursement changes.

Palpitations and Muscle Cramps in an Older Man
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2855596

This case report describes a man in his 60s who presented with recurrent palpitations associated with dyspnea and a ringing sensation in his ears for the preceding 24 hours.

Mifepristone Patient Agreement Form and Medication Abortion Knowledge
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2855587

This randomized clinical trial examines whether patients are more knowledgeable about medication abortion after reviewing and signing a patient agreement form.

Time to Measure the Outcomes of What Nurses Really Do
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2855586

This Viewpoint discusses adopting nurse-sensitive outcome metrics to more meaningfully reflect the full scope of nursing practice.