COVID-19 Omicron
Can you
safely enjoy the holidays? Experts offer COVID tips
Vaccines: The
new studies, from teams of researchers in Germany, South Africa, Sweden, and
the drug company Pfizer, showed 25 to 40-fold drops in the ability of
antibodies created by two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to neutralize
the virus. But there seemed to be a bright spot in the studies
too. The virus didn't completely escape the immunity from the vaccines,
and giving a third, booster dose appeared to restore antibodies to a level
that's been associated with protection against variants in the past. This past week,
Dr. Fauci noted, "Our booster vaccine regimens work against Omicron,"
he said at a White House news briefing. "At this point, there is no need
for a variant-specific booster."
Omicron
Variant Escapes Moderna Vaccine, but Booster Shot Helps: Moderna's two-dose COVID-19 vaccine is
less effective against the new Omicron variant, according to a new preprint study. But a booster shot of the Moderna
vaccine increased antibodies that were highly effective at blocking Omicron. "The
antibodies that people make after they get the standard two inoculations of the
Moderna mRNA vaccines are 50 times less effective against Omicron than they are
against the original form of the virus.”
"What these results are telling us is that if Omicron
becomes a dominant variant, it's going to become even more important that
people get their boost."
Report
highlights characteristics of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant in U.S. Of the first 43 cases of COVID-19
attributed to the omicron variant, 58 percent were in persons aged 18 to 39
years. One-third (14 persons) reported international travel during the 14 days
preceding symptom onset or positive test results. Seventy-nine percent of the
COVID-19 cases attributed to the omicron variant occurred in persons who had
completed the primary series of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized
or approved COVID-19 vaccine 14 days or more prior to symptom onset or positive
test result; 14 had received an additional or booster dose, including five who
received the additional or booster dose <14 days before symptom onset. Six
persons had a documented previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cough, fatigue, and
congestion or runny nose were the most commonly reported symptoms. One
vaccinated patient was hospitalized for two days; to date, no deaths have been
reported. Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report
What We Can
Learn from the 1918 Flu Pandemic as the Omicron Variant Spreads: Historically, most pandemics last
between 2 and a half to 3 and a half years. Over time,
pandemic viruses typically mutate and evolve into an endemic disease that
circulates at lower, more manageable levels. This was the case with the
influenza strain behind the 1918 flu pandemic and some virologists hope this
may be happening with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Early reports
suggest that the Omicron variant may cause milder infections, potentially due
to its unique collection of mutations along with the buildup of immunity across
the globe. Healthline
Omicron
thrives in airways, not lungs:
Major differences in how efficiently Omicron and other
variants of the coronavirus multiply may help predict Omicron's effects,
researchers said. Compared to the earlier Delta variant, Omicron multiplies
itself 70 times more quickly in tissues that line airway passages, which may
facilitate person-to-person spread. But in lung tissues, Omicron replicates 10
times more slowly than the original version of the coronavirus, which might
contribute to less-severe illness. Reuters
COVID-19:
Prevention
Coughing
'Can Spread SARS-CoV-2 Virus Beyond Two Metres' : The study, based on computer modelling
and published in the journal Physics of Fluids, found that when an infected person
without a mask coughs, most of the larger droplets fall on nearby surfaces.
However, the scientists found that smaller droplets from an infected individual
without a mask could spread well beyond two metres, even when outdoors. "Each
time we cough, we may emit a different amount of liquid, so if a person is
infected with COVID-19, they could be emitting lots of virus particles or very
few, and because of the turbulence, they spread differently for every cough.”
How Long
Does Immunity Last After COVID-19?
For people who recover from COVID-19, immunity to the coronavirus can last
about 3 months to 5 years, research shows .Immunity can occur naturally after
developing COVID-19 or from getting the COVID-19 vaccination.Because the length
of immunity after developing COVID-19 or getting the vaccine is unknown,
practicing physical distancing and wearing a mask need to continue to stop the
spread. Healthline
Four in 10 infected people may unknowingly spread virus:
Infected people who show no
symptoms might be contributing significantly to transmission of SARS-CoV-2,
given that they account for 40.5% of confirmed infections worldwide, according
to a study published online Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
COVID-19:
Vaccines/Boosters
Booster
shots prompt stronger, longer protection than original shots, says study: COVID-19 booster shots trigger much
stronger and longer protection than full vaccination with two doses of the
Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, according to a small study. It also found that the
response to a booster is even greater in fully vaccinated people who have had
infections. Nine months after they had two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna
vaccines, their neutralizing antibody levels to SARS-CoV-2 had decreased about
10-fold, the study found. After a booster shot, antibody levels rose
25-fold—five times higher than after two doses of the vaccine. Northwestern
University
Study finds
gradual increase in COVID infection risk after second vaccine dose: A study published by The BMJ
finds a gradual increase in the risk of COVID-19 infection from 90 days after
receiving a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. British
Medical Journal
No Serious
Cardiovascular Risks for Elderly After Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine: The study showed no increased risk
of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke or pulmonary embolism following
vaccination in adults aged 75+ in the 14 days following vaccination. The study was published as a research letter online November 22 in JAMA.
Severe
breakthrough COVID-19 cases drives urgency of boosters: Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections
tend to be mild, but new Yale research shows that more older adults have
developed severe breakthrough cases during the delta variant phase of the
pandemic, particularly after a longer period of time had elapsed since their
last vaccination. The Lancet Microbe
Young people
recover quickly from rare myocarditis side effect of COVID-19 vaccine: Most young people under the age of
21 who developed suspected COVID-19 vaccine-related heart muscle inflammation
known as myocarditis had mild symptoms that improved quickly, according to new
research. Circulation
In First Head-to-Head Comparison, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Only Slightly More Effective Than Pfizer: While
Moderna has a slight edge over Pfizer, both vaccines prove to be extremely
effective, especially in the prevention of severe disease, hospitalization, and
death. Moderna showed a slight edge by offering an increased level of
protection, including a 21 percent lower risk of documented infection and 41
percent lower risk of hospitalization. NEJM
Infection
plus vaccination yields better antibodies against COVID-19 variants: Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2
spike protein produced by the immune system can help identify and fend off
future infections, but not all antibodies are the same. People who either
recovered from COVID-19 early in the pandemic or received a current vaccine may
not be able to fend off new and emerging variants. Recently, researchers report
that the combination of the two can produce a more potent defense. According to the study, people who've had
an infection and received a vaccine have high-quality antibodies that act
against spike variants—and more effectively than either group alone. mBio
Fully
Vaccinated' Will Eventually Mean 3 Doses: White House Chief Medical Advisor
Anthony Fauci, MD, says it's "a matter of when, not if," the
definition of "fully-vaccinated" is changed to include a third shot. Studies released this week showed that the standard two doses of
the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appear to be much less effective against the
Omicron variant than a booster dose.
CDC panel recommends Pfizer, Moderna
vaccines over J&J shot
The CDC has updated their recommendation that mRNA vaccines
made by Pfizer and Moderna be used over Johnson & Johnson’s shot, which has
weaker protection and greater risks.
COVID-19:
Treatment
Pfizer
confirms COVID pill's results, potency versus omicron: Pfizer said Tuesday that its
experimental COVID-19 pill appears effective against the omicron variant. The company also said full results of
its 2,250-person study confirmed the pill's promising early results against the
virus: The drug reduced combined hospitalizations and deaths by about 89% among
high-risk adults when taken shortly after initial COVID-19 symptoms.
High
pressure (hyperbaric) oxygen resolves severe COVID-19 breathing difficulties
faster than standard therapy:
High pressure (hyperbaric) oxygen resolves severe breathing
difficulties in COVID-19 patients much more quickly than standard therapy,
taking an average of 3 rather than 9 days, reveal the results of a small
comparative clinical trial published online in Emergency
Medicine Journal
COVID-19:
Long-Covid
COVID
long-haulers may experience abnormal breathing patterns, chronic fatigue
syndrome: Many
long-haul COVID-19 patients have chronic fatigue syndrome and other breathing
issues months after their initial COVID-19 diagnosis, according to study in JACC:
Heart Failure, which is the first of its kind to identify a correlation
between long-haul COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome. American College of Cardiology
People Who
Survive Severe COVID-19 at Higher Risk of Death in the Following Year: People with long COVID, a condition
that happens to some survivors of COVID-19, could have twice the risk of death
within the next year than those who experienced mild or moderate infection or
were never ill, according to a study published Dec. 1 in the journal
Frontiers in Medicine.
Long COVID
Can Cause Heart Problems Along with Breathing Difficulties: More than one-third of people with
no history of heart or lung disease who were hospitalized with COVID-19
continued to have shortness of breath a year after being discharged from the
hospital, researchers from Belgium reported. Abnormal heart function was
independently associated with persistent shortness of breath. EuroEcho
2021,
Data Shows
Little Improvement in Long COVID Patients After One Year: The latest results from the The
prospective longitudinal cohort study , published as a preprint, point
towards the possibility of personalised treatments for patients suffering from
long COVID. Data shows that there is no or minimal improvements in symptom
severity and patient perception of recovery 12 months after discharge,
following hospitalisation for acute COVID-19. However, the study did identify a
number of modifiable factors and potential treatment targets that could improve
outcomes.
COVID-19Vaccines May Reduce Long COVID Burden:
Researchers analyzed survey responses from 28,356 adults ages 18 to 69 from
across the UK who had previously had COVID-19, nearly one-quarter of whom had
reported troublesome lingering symptoms. The likelihood that participants
would report long COVID symptoms at least 12 weeks after infection fell by 13%
after the first vaccine dose, the researchers reported on medRxiv ahead of peer
review. It
was unclear whether this improvement continued between the first and second
doses. But a further 9% reduction in the odds of persistent symptoms after the
second vaccine dose "did appear to be sustained, at least over the
follow-up period of 67 days on average." The pattern was similar
regardless of whether participants received vaccines from AstraZeneca,
Pfizer/BioNTech, or Moderna.
COVID-19:
Other
About 40
percent with confirmed COVID-19 are asymptomatic: The percentage of asymptomatic
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections is 0.25
and 40.50 percent among individuals undergoing testing and those with confirmed
COVID-19, respectively, according to a review published online Dec. 14 in JAMA
Network Open
PAIN
Telehealth-delivered
diet and exercise program eased knee pain and triggered weight loss: New research investigating the
benefits of telehealth-delivered exercise and diet programs has found 80 per cent
of participants experienced improvement in pain and an average of 10 per cent
in loss of body weight, with one man shedding 39 kilograms. Annals of
Internal Medicine
Clinical trial denounces use of platelet-rich plasma injections for knee jointosteoarthritis:
Injections of platelet-rich plasma are no better than placebo for helping
reduce knee pain in people with knee joint osteoarthritis. JAMA
Cooled RFA
relieves pain after knee replacement:
A minimally invasive ablation procedure - cooled radiofrequency ablation
(C-RFA)-offers long-term relief for patients who experience chronic and
debilitating pain after knee replacement surgery. Annual meeting of the
Radiological Society of North America
Treatment of
Medication Overuse Headache:
Effect and Predictors After 1 Year: All treatment strategies proved
effective in treating MOH with a low relapse rate. The withdrawal and early preventives
strategy leads to the fastest effect, confirming earlier treatment
recommendations. Identification of predictors for chronic headache may help
identify more complex patients. Headache
COMPLEMENTARY
& ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Study shows
treating insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy can prevent major
depression in older adults:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) prevented major
depression, decreasing the likelihood of depression by over 50% as compared to
sleep education therapy in adults over the age of 60 with insomnia. JAMA
Psychiatry
Recent
cannabis use linked to extremes of nightly sleep duration: Recent cannabis use is linked to
extremes of nightly sleep duration—less than 6 hours or more than 9
hours—reveals a study of a large representative sample of US adults. This
pattern was even more pronounced among heavy users—those using on 20 out of the
previous 30 days, the findings show. British Medical Journal
Yoga improves quality of life in men with new diagnosis of prostate cancer : With a new diagnosis of prostate
cancer, these men have approximately a 30% incidence of depression and anxiety,
a fourfold higher risk of heart attack and a twofold higher risk of committing
suicide Yoga, a set of specific body postures combined with breathing
techniques and mindfulness, may be an easy-to-implement answer in this
stressful situation. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases.
FDA ACTION
• Approved
Livtencity for posttransplant cytomegalovirus
• Approved
Vyvgart (efgartigimod) for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis
• Approved
Orencia (abatacept) for the prophylaxis (prevention) of acute graft versus host
disease
• Issued
an emergency use authorization (EUA) for AstraZeneca’s Evusheld (tixagevimab
co-packaged with cilgavimab and administered together) for the pre-exposure
prophylaxis (prevention) of COVID-19 in certain adults and pediatric
individuals (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms [about 88
pounds]).
• Approved
Cytalux (pafolacianine), an imaging drug intended to assist surgeons in
identifying ovarian cancer lesions.
• Authorized the antiviral pill made by Merck and Ridgeback.
Pill is modestly effective at reducing risk of hospitalization/death from Covid
19.
PREVENTION:
Exercise
Study finds
brain lesions on MRI linked to years of playing football: Certain markers of injury to the
brain's white matter, called white matter hyperintensities, can be seen on
brain scans. A new study finds that brain scans taken during the lifetimes of
athletes in contact sports, compared to changes in their brains at autopsy,
showed that white matter hyperintensities were associated with neuropathological
changes. The study also found that white matter hyperintensities were more
common in athletes who played contact sports longer or had more head impacts
during their careers. American
Academy of Neurology
Exercising
at the start of fast can help people reach ketosis 3.5 hours faster: Exercising intensely at the start of
a fast may help maximize health benefits
of temporarily foregoing food. Ketosis occurs when the body runs out of
glucose—its first, preferred fuel—and begins breaking down stored fat for
energy, producing chemicals called ketones as a byproduct. In addition to being
a healthy energy source for the brain and heart, ketones combat diseases like
diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise
Higher
physical activity is associated with a better metabolic health risk factor
profile in menopausal women:
A study shows that menopausal transition is associated with
unfavorable changes in metabolic health that may be mitigated with a physically
active lifestyle. Physical activity especially alleviated increases in systolic
blood pressure. International
Journal of Obesity
How Daily
Exercise Can Help Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Cancer: Physical activity may reduce the
risk of two high-profile diseases — cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. More than 46,000 cancer diagnoses could
be avoided with 5 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity per week,
according to a study. “A few mechanisms behind why
physical activity aids in the reduction of cancer are the positive physiological
changes in the body. These include weight loss, making the heart stronger,
causing the arteries to dilate more readily, allowing for improved blood flow
through the body, and reducing the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol while raising the
‘good’ HDL cholesterol.” In
a paper published in the Journal of Neuroscience reported that
physical activity improved cognition, including in people with Alzheimer’s
disease.
Study
associates regular vigorous physical activity with improved cardiac response to
exercise in people with COPD:
A new study has found that people with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) experience cardiac autonomic dysfunction, meaning that
the heart's ability to speed up during exercise and recover afterwards is
limited, regardless of disease severity. Annals of Physical and
Rehabilitation Medicine
Higher Levels of Exercise
Can Improve Cardiovascular Health:
A new study says that exercise is particularly good
for those battling cardiovascular health issues, something that researchers say
wasn’t so clear previously. The researchers said they found that while increasing
physical activity helped reduce mortality rates in all groups, the benefits
tended to level off above a certain level of activity in healthy people and
those with cardiovascular risk factors. However, among those with
cardiovascular disease, the researchers say they found no limit to the benefits
from physical activity.
Regular
exercise reduces the risk of and death from pneumonia, study suggests: The study found people who exercise
regularly have a lower risk of developing pneumonia and pneumonia-related death
compared to those who were the least or not physically active. The relationship
was shown for pneumonias that did not result in death and those that resulted
in death. The results did not change on taking into account known factors that
can affect pneumonia such as age, sex, body mass index, socioeconomic status,
alcohol consumption, smoking, and pre-existing diseases. The strength of the
association did not vary by age or sex. GeroScience
Minimal
effort required: A ten-minute run can boost brain processing Researchers have found that only ten
minutes of moderate-intensity running increases local blood flow to the various
loci in the bilateral prefrontal cortex —the part of the brain that
plays an important role in controlling mood and executive functions. These
findings may contribute to the development of a wider range of treatment
recommendations to benefit mental health. Scientific Reports
PREVENTION:
Diet/Nutrition
Only
alcohol—not caffeine, diet or lack of sleep—might trigger heart rhythm
condition: New
research from UC San Francisco that tested possible triggers of a common heart
condition, including caffeine, sleep deprivation and sleeping on the left side,
found that only alcohol use was consistently associated with more episodes of
the heart arrhythmia. The authors conclude that people might be able to reduce
their risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) by avoiding certain triggers. JAMA
Cardiology
Sulfur
microbial diet may increase risk for colorectal cancer: Greater adherence to a sulfur
microbial diet is associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC)
in both men and women. A sulfur microbial diet in a subsample of 307 men and
212 women was characterized by high intakes of low-calorie beverages, French
fries, red meats, and processed meats and low intakes of fruits, yellow
vegetables, whole grains, legumes, leafy vegetables, and cruciferous
vegetables. JAMA
Network Open
Coffee or
Tea? Drinking Both Tied to Lower Stroke, Dementia Risk: Drinking coffee or tea is associated
with reduced risk for stroke and dementia, with the biggest benefit associated
with consuming both beverages, new research suggests. Investigators
found that individuals who drank 2 to 3 cups of coffee and 2 to 3 cups of tea
per day had a 30% decrease in incidence of stroke and a 28% lower risk for
dementia vs those who did not. published online PLOS Medicine
Multivitamins,
but Not Cocoa, Tied to Slowed Brain Aging: Taking a daily multivitamin for 3 years is associated with
a 60% slowing of cognitive aging, with the effects especially pronounced in
patients with cardiovascular (CVD) disease, new research suggests. In addition
to testing the effect of a daily multivitamin on cognition the COSMOS-Mind
study also examined the effect of cocoa flavanols, but showed no beneficial
effect. The findings were presented at the 14th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference.
Two Diets
Linked to Improved Cognition, Fatigue in MS: A Paleolithic elimination diet (Wahls diet) or a
low-saturated fat diet (Swank diet) are associated with improved cognition,
among other clinical outcomes, in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
(RRMS), new research suggests. The results were presented at the
Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2021 annual meeting. he CMSC findings came from a secondary
analysis of a randomized trial published online in July in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal –
Experimental, Translational and Clinical (MSJ-ETC).
MIND Diet
Preserves Cognition Even in the Presence of Alzheimer's Pathology: Adherence to the MIND diet can improve
memory and thinking skills of older adults, even in the presence of Alzheimer’s
disease pathology, new data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP) show.
"The MIND diet was associated with better cognitive functions
independently of brain pathologies related to Alzheimer's disease, suggesting
that diet may contribute to cognitive resilience, which ultimately indicates
that it is never too late for dementia prevention.” A
hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
diets, the MIND diet includes green leafy vegetables, fish, nuts, berries,
beans, and whole grains and limits consumption of fried and fast foods, sweets,
and pastries. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease published online
A diet rich in plant-based products reduces the risk of cognitive impairment in the elderly: The
results reveal a protective association between metabolites derived from cocoa,
coffee, mushrooms and red wine, microbial metabolism of polyphenol-rich foods
(apple, cocoa, green tea, blueberries, oranges or pomegranates) and cognitive
impairment in the elderly. Changes in lifestyle and diet are decisive as a
strategy to prevent cognitive deterioration and its progression in
neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and other dementias. "A
higher intake of fruits, vegetables and plant-based foods provides polyphenols
and other bioactive compounds that could help reduce the risk of cognitive
decline due to ageing. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
Prunes have promising effect on men’s bone health, adding to growing body of research: New research reports that eating
prunes daily has a protective effect on bone health in men over 50. Journal of
Medicinal Food
Older Adults
Who Drink Alcohol Moderately May Have Lower Risk of Heart Disease: Moderate drinking was associated with a
reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and death from any cause among a study
group of 18,000 men and women ages 70 and older, according to a recent study
Ultra-processed
foods increase the risk of a second heart attack or stroke: Study findings indicate a higher
risk of a second heart attack (or stroke), this time fatal, in those with
cardiovascular disease whose diet has a large share of ultra-processed
food. Moreover, another observation emerges
from this study: Even in people generally following the Mediterranean diet, but
consuming too many ultra-processed foods, health risks are higher. European
Heart Journal
An overview
of the effectiveness of anti-aging diets: A review of research conducted
regarding the effectiveness of anti-aging diets
has found little to suggest they work. In their paper published in the
journal Science, the group describes their work and some of the myths
they uncovered. Science
Low protein
intake is associated with reduced muscle mass and strength in women over 65: Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) has
an enormous impact on the quality of life of the elderly, by allowing them to
maintain their daily activities and independence for many more years and with
an optimal state of health." Nutrición Hospitalaria
How Eating
at Night Affects Your Health, Risk for Diabetes The Brigham and Women’s study looked specifically at how eating
throughout the evening affected blood sugar levels versus eating during the
day. Researchers say eating at night can disrupt blood sugar levels and
increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have shown that having
meals in the evening can cause weight gain and increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease. Experts say people who work night or overnight shifts
should try to eat meals at as close to “normal” times as possible. They add
that what you eat is also important, so making healthy food choices is
essential.
Margarines
now nutritionally better than butter after hydrogenated oil ban: In the U.S. marketplace today,
margarines are now a better option than butter for your health.” In the past
there was a lot of debate about which product was better for you, but now that
trans fats have been removed from margarines, they're the best choice in terms
of heart health." Public Health Nutrition
PREVENTION:
Other
Gratitude
May Improve Your Health Be thankful for what you have—it
might improve your physical and mental health, according to a new global study
that uses cell phone data. People who were more grateful had lower blood
pressure and heart disease. as
well as greater feelings of appreciation toward others. The study found that
optimism was also linked to health and mental benefits, such and better sleep
quality and more positive expectations and reflections. Emotion
Can Viagra Cut Risk of
Alzheimer’s Disease?
Data from more than 7 million people to find sildenafil (Viagra) significantly
reduced the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease. According to researchers, their
findings, recently publishedTrusted Source in the journal Nature Aging, suggest it
might soon be prescribed to fight dementia.
Stress, by
itself, can lead to excessive drinking in women but not men: A new study has shown that stress
alone can drive women to excessive drinking. Men who experienced the same
stress only drank to excess when they had already started consuming alcohol. Psychology
of Addictive Behaviors
TREATMENT
Wearable
vibration device may ease Parkinson's tremor: The device, which is worn on the wrist or ankle and is
roughly the size and weight of a smartwatch, may be a safe and effective way to
reduce resting tremors in people with Parkinson's disease. For the new study,
44 people with Parkinson's used the device on their wrists or ankles with two
vibration patterns to make sure it was safe. The answer was yes. The next step
is a larger study comparing the device to a placebo device for daily use, he
said. Frontiers
in Human Neuroscience
Many people
with high blood pressure may take a drug that worsens it, says study: Nearly 1 in 5 people with
hypertension may be unintentionally taking a drug for another condition that
causes their blood pressure to climb even higher, a new study suggests.
"The risk of [drugs] raising blood pressure may be simply overlooked,
particularly for patients using these additional medications for many years.” JAMA
Internal Medicine
Statin use
affects prostate cancer screening results: Prostate cancer screening results
differ in men taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs compared with non-users.
The study found the
clearest difference in low-risk cancer, which is often overdiagnosed due to
screening. The number of low-risk tumors found in screening was significantly
lower in statin users. However, statin use caused no difference in the
detection of high-risk cancers. In the screened group, prostate cancer
mortality was slightly lower than in the unscreened group, both in men taking
statins and other men. JAMA
Oncology
Bariatric surgery highly effective
for reducing fatty liver disease in patients with obesity and diabetes:
A randomized controlled trial found that both gastric bypass
and gastric sleeve surgery were highly effective in reducing nonalcoholic fatty
liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Both procedures led
to substantial reduction in liver fat 5 weeks after surgery and almost complete
clearance of liver fat 1 year after surgery. The effect of bariatric surgery on
liver scarring, or cirrhosis, was not clear. Annals of Internal Medicine
Greater odds
of overall satisfaction three months after lumbar fusion when surgery is
minimally invasive: Researchers
compared outcomes in two groups of patients surgically treated with lumbar
fusion for degenerative spine disease. One group had undergone minimally
invasive surgery (MIS) and the other open surgery. The researchers found that
MIS procedures were associated with significantly greater odds of patient
satisfaction 3 months postoperatively but not 12 months postoperatively. MIS
was also associated with less disability and pain at both time points. For more
details, see the article "Minimally invasive versus open lumbar spinal
fusion: a matched study investigating patient-reported and surgical
outcomes" Journal
of Neurosurgery: Spine
Infectious
Diseases Society of America issues guidance on treating antimicrobial-resistant
infections: Abstract/Full Text
OTHER
Major spike
among American adults skipping medical treatment due to cost Nearly one-third (30%) of Americans
skipped needed medical care in the past three months due to cost, the highest
reported number since the COVID-19 pandemic began and a threefold increase from
March to October, according to the latest survey from the nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization West Health and Gallup, the global analytics and advice firm.
Even about 20% of the nation's highest-income households—those earning more
than $120,000 per year—blame cost as the reason for not seeking care, up from
3% over the same timeframe.
'Brain fog'
during menopause is real, and it can disrupt women's work and spark dementia
fears Just over 60% of
women report cognitive difficulties during menopause. Women
should be reassured that dementia that begins before age 65—called young onset
dementia—is not common (unless there is a family history of early-onset
dementia). Forgetfulness and other cognitive difficulties during the menopausal
transition are common and a normal part of menopause.
