COVID-19
Please note
the following changes for booster shots and quarantine/isolation if you test
positive for Covid:
Booster recommendations:
Age 12-17 booster of Pfizer after 5 months
Age 18+ Pfizer, Moderna booster after 5
months; Johnson & Johnson after 2 months
If you test positive for Covid: People with COVID-19 should isolate
for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving
(without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when
around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.
If you are exposed to Covid and are
vaccinated/boosted: Individuals
who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an
exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure. Best
practice includes a Covid test 5 days after exposure.
If you are exposed but not vaccinated or
fully vaccinated: For
people who are unvaccinated or are more than five months out from their second
mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet
boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use
for an additional 5 days. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible,
it is imperative that an exposed person wear
a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after
exposure. Best practice includes a Covid test 5 days after exposure.
Reimbursement
for At-Home COVID Tests Start January 15th: Starting Jan. 15, Americans who are covered
by a health insurance plan can receive reimbursement when they buy over the
counter COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are authorized or approved by the FDA. This means that most people with private
health coverage can go online or to a store, buy a test, and either get it
covered up-front or through reimbursement by submitting a claim to their plan,
the White House said. Insurance companies and group health
plans will cover eight free at-home tests per person per month, the White House
said. A family of four on the same health plan, for instance, could be covered
for 32 tests per month.
"We are requiring insurers and group health plans to make tests free for
millions of Americans. This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp-up
access to easy-to-use, at-home tests at no cost," Xavier Becerra,
secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said in
a statement.
Free Test kits starting
Wednesday Jan. 19: Orders
for up to four tests per household can be placed using the website COVIDtests.gov. The administration will
also set up a phone number so those without access to computers or high-speed
internet can place orders. The White House said tests will usually ship within
seven to 12 days of ordering, meaning most Americans won't receive them until
the end of January
Covid-19
Prevention
Some Face
Mask Modifications Improve Fit and Boost Performance for Medical Professionals and for Public, Study
Finds: Certain modifications to face masks, such as double masking and
adjusting the fit more tightly around the face, can greatly reduce the
transmission of respiratory particles, says a study involving five types of masks,
eight modifications, and both mannequins and human subjects. In a
study published in the American
Journal of Infection Control, the researchers evaluated several
modifications to improve the fit of a medical or cloth face mask and reduce the
amount of escaping aerosols. Unmodified medical masks blocked 56% or more of
cough aerosols and 42% or more of exhaled aerosols. By comparison, adding a
cloth mask on top of a medical mask blocked 85% or more of cough aerosols and
91% or more of exhaled aerosols, and adding a brace over a medical mask blocked
95% or more of cough aerosols and 99% or more of exhaled aerosols. A mask
bracket, worn under the mask, decreased the fit of the mask. NOTE: THE CDC
ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO WEAR N95 MASKS.
Some at-home
tests may miss Omicron in early stages of infection: The Abbott BinaxNOW and Quidel
QuickVue—two widely used rapid at-home COVID tests—may sometimes fail to spot
evidence of the Omicron variant in the first days after infection, even when
people are carrying substantial levels of the virus, preliminary research
suggests. Reports have also surfaced that some people who initially tested
negative on antigen tests when they swabbed inside their noses went on to
receive a positive result when they swabbed the back of their throats.
Real-world,
rapid COVID-19 testing shows few false positives: In a Canadian employer screening
program, the overall rate of false-positive results using rapid antigen test
screens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is
very low, according to a research letter published online Jan. 7 in the Journal
of the American Medical Association. Abstract/Full
Text
BinaxNOW test catches COVID infection in many people: Countering earlier concerns, a
real-world study finds that a widely used at-home coronavirus test called
BinaxNOW is as effective at detecting Omicron as other COVID-19 variants.
COVID-19
Rapid Antigen Tests Correlate With Short-term Infectiousness: Rapid antigen tests for COVID-19
might yield false negative results when viral loads are low, but in those
cases, the virus may not yet be transmissible, a new study suggests.
Researchers performed rapid antigen tests on swab samples from 181 individuals
with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and then tried to culture the virus on
the swabs. When viral loads were below the antigen tests' level of detection,
the virus particles were often incapable of growing, according to a report
posted on medRxiv ahead of peer review.
Dry heat
disinfecting of N95 mask works, preserves fit: Entering a third year of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the latest infection surge nationwide comes with many
challenges. One of those is for a continued adequate supply of masks, including
the often used N95 respirator masks for healthcare and other settings. A study
led by Stony Brook University researchers discovered that a readily available
method using dry ovens can be used to disinfect N95s for reuse, in settings
where new masks may not be available. PLoS ONE
Face masks
cut distance airborne pathogens could travel in half: In a new study researchers found that
face masks reduce the distance airborne pathogens could travel, when speaking
or coughing, by more than half compared to not wearing a mask. Journal of Infectious
Diseases
Substantial weight loss can reduce risk of severe COVID-19 complications, study finds: A new study shows that among
patients with obesity, prior weight loss achieved with bariatric surgery was
associated with a 60 percent lower risk of developing severe complications from
COVID-19 infection. JAMA Surgery
Even
symptom-free, people with Omicron are much more likely to spread COVID, say
studies: People who are
infected but have no symptoms are still far more likely to infect others than
they would have been with earlier variants, the data shows.
One in ten
people may still be infectious for COVID after ten days, new research indicates: The study, published in the International
Journal of Infectious Diseases found that 13 per cent of people still
exhibited clinically-relevant levels of virus after 10 days, meaning they could
potentially still be infectious. Some people retained these levels for up to 68
days. International
Journal of Infectious Diseases
COVID-19:
Vaccines/Boosters
mRNA
vaccines highly effective at preventing death from COVID-19, less effective at
preventing infection: A
target trial emulation study found that in an elderly population of U.S.
veterans with high comorbidity burden, mRNA vaccine efficacy at preventing
infection with COVID-19 was substantially lower than previously reported but
effectiveness against death was very high. These finding suggest that
complementary infection mitigation efforts remain important for pandemic
control, even with vaccination. Annals of Internal Medicine
FDA expands
Pfizer boosters for more teens as omicron surges: Everyone 12 and older who's eligible
for a Pfizer booster can get one as early as five months after their last dose
rather than six months.
COVID
Vaccines Rarely Lead to Serious Problems in Ages 5-11, CDC Says: In one
study, researchers found that serious problems were rare among children who
had received the Pfizer vaccine. In another
study, researchers looked at hundreds of pediatric hospitalizations from
the summer and found that nearly all of children who developed severe COVID-19
weren't fully vaccinated.
J&J Booster Reduced
Hospitalizations in South Africa, Study Shows: About 69,000 health care workers were
given a booster dose of the J&J vaccine between Nov. 15 and Dec. 20,
according to the study published in medRxiv.
The booster provided about 85% effectiveness against hospitalization because of
COVID, the study says.
COVID
Booster Protection May Wane in About 10 Weeks, New Data Show: Booster shot protection against
symptomatic COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant appears to fade in about 10
weeks, according to new
data from Britain.
COVID-19
vaccination associated with a small, temporary increase in menstrual cycle
length, study suggests:
Women receiving one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during a
single menstrual cycle had an increase in cycle length of nearly one day,
compared to unvaccinated women, according to a study funded by the National
Institutes of Health. The increase in cycle length—a longer time between
bleeding—was not associated with any change in the number of days of menses
(days of bleeding). Obstetrics & Gynecology
Death From
COVID-19 Very Rare in Fully Vaccinated Adults: New research shows that adults who
are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 rarely die from the disease, although the
odds of severe outcomes and death are higher in older adults and in those with
compromised immune systems and underlying conditions. Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published
online January 6
Severe Covid
19 outcomes rare after primary vaccination: Severe COVID-19 outcomes are rare
after primary vaccination, but those who are 65 years or older, are
immunosuppressed, or have underlying conditions may be at increased risk,
according to research published in the Jan. 7 issue of the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report
Pfizer/BioNTech
Vaccine Protects Children Against Rare COVID-19 Complication: Two doses of the Pfizer Inc and
BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are highly protective against a rare but often
serious condition in children that causes organ inflammation weeks after
COVID-19 infections. The vaccine was estimated to be 91% effective in preventing
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) in 12- to 18-year-olds,
the study said. MIS-C causes inflammation in organs including the heart, lungs,
kidneys and brain two to six weeks after a mild or asymptomatic infection. MMWR
Study shows
COVID-19 vaccines offer lasting protection: Vaccination offers long-lasting
protection from the worst outcomes of COVID-19, according to a new study. Results
suggest that declining immunity is responsible for breakthrough infections, but
vaccines maintained protection from hospitalization and severe disease nine
months after getting the first shot. New England Journal of
Medicine
COVID-19:
Treatment
Molnupiravir
cuts risk for severe COVID-19 illness in adults: A double blind, randomized controlled
study of 1,433 participants found that for nonhospitalized, unvaccinated
adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and at least one risk factor for severe
disease, molnupiravir reduces the risk for hospitalization or death. New England Journal of
Medicine
Hyperbaric
Oxygen Resolves COVID-19 Breathing Problems Much Faster Than Standard Therapy: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) appears to resolves
severe COVID-19 breathing problems in a median of three days compared with nine
days with standard therapy, researchers in Argentina report. Emergency Medicine
Journal
COVID-19 pill rollout stymied by shortages as omicron rages:
Two brand-new COVID-19 pills that were supposed to be an important weapon
against the pandemic in the U.S. are in short supply and have played little
role in the fight against the omicron wave of infections. The problem, in part,
is that production is still being ramped up and the medicines can take anywhere
from five to eight months to manufacture. While the supply is expected to
improve dramatically in the coming months, doctors are clamoring for the pills
now, not just because omicron is causing an explosion of cases but because two
antibody drugs that were once the go-to treatments don't work as well against
the variant.
Ivermectin
prescriptions for COVID-19: Insurance coverage doesn't match evidence Even though clinical trials haven't
shown it works against COVID-19, doctors continue to prescribe ivermectin—and a
new study suggests health insurers are heavily subsidizing the cost of those
prescriptions. The study's authors call for insurers to align their coverage of
the drug with the level of medical evidence surrounding it—just like they do
for other medications, tests and procedures. Journal
of the American Medical Association
COVID-19:
Long-Covid
Coronavirus
Can Spread to Heart, Brain Days After Infection: The coronavirus that causes COVID-19
can spread to the heart and brain within days of infection and can survive for
months in organs, according to a new
study by the National Institutes of Health. The virus can
spread to almost every organ system in the body, which could contribute to the
ongoing symptoms seen in "long COVID" patients, the study authors
wrote. The study is considered one of the most comprehensive reviews of how the
virus replicates in human cells and persists in the human body. It is under
review for publication in the journal Nature.
Cardiac
Inflammation Can Be Present After Mild COVID Infection: Myocardial inflammation is present
in a small proportion of patients who have recovered from relatively mild cases
of COVID-19 infection, a new study shows. "Our findings suggest that even
in patients who have had relatively mild cases of COVID-19, some will have
inflammatory changes to the heart, and these changes can be present without any
cardiac symptoms. While our data suggest that this inflammation improves over
time and the outcomes seem positive, we don't know if there will be any
long-term consequences.” The
study was published
online in JAMA Cardiology
on January 12.
Long COVID
'Brain Fog' Shares Features With 'Chemo Brain': The "brain fog" reported
by some people after COVID-19 shows striking similarities to the condition
known as "chemo brain" - the mental cloudiness some people experience
during and after cancer treatment, according to new research. In the brains of
patients who died of COVID-19, the researchers found evidence of inflammation
along with high levels of inflammatory proteins, one of which, CCL11, is linked
with impairments in nervous system health and cognitive function. Reuters
COVID-19
Associated With Increased Diabetes Risk in Youth: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated
with an increased risk for diabetes among youth, whereas other acute
respiratory infections were not, new data from the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate. The results from two large US health
claims databases were published
January 7 in an early release in the CDC's Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report. Full
text
People Over
50 May Face Mobility Issues Even After Mild Cases: New researchTrusted Source suggests that even a mild case
of COVID-19 can have a long-term effect on movement and functioning in older
adults. People over age 50 appear to have mobility and functioning issues after
even mild cases of COVID-19. They have seen a loss of mobility and functioning
in older people that goes beyond the natural declines seen with aging. These
issues include the ability to engage in physical activity, as well as muscle
aches and brain fog. Experts say it’s important for older adults to make sure
they get enough sleep, eat healthy, and participate in daily physical activity
whether they’ve had COVID-19 or not.
Long COVID: Could
antiplatelet therapy help?
Scientists know little about the underlying mechanisms of long COVID despite
widespread reports about it since near the start of the pandemic, This lack of knowledge has made diagnosing and
developing treatments for this condition challenging. Estimates suggest over 20% of people who test
positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could continue to
experience chronic symptoms. COVID-19
affects the lining of the blood vessels, and scientists have investigated
whether long COVID symptoms could have links to this. A team based in South
Africa has released preliminary results of a treatment regime using antiplatelet
therapy and anticoagulants to treat people with long COVID. A preprint
study research found that in 24 people who received the
antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy reported improvements in their long
COVID symptoms; they also saw a reduction of microclots. Medical News
Blood
markers of brain cell damage higher over short term in COVID-19 patients than
in Alzheimer's patients:
Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 had higher levels over
the short term of blood proteins known to rise with neurological damage than
non-COVID-19 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds. Alzheimer's
& Dementia
COVID-19:
Other
Some
Infectious Disease Specialists See COVID Approaching 'Endemic' Stage After
Omicron. Newsweek
In COVID,
New-Onset Seizures More Common Than Breakthrough Seizures: An analysis of hospitalized patients
with COVID-19 finds that those with no history of epilepsy had more than 3
times the odds of suffering a new-onset seizure than patients with epilepsy
were to have breakthrough seizures (odds radio [OR] 3.15, P < .0001), researchers
reported at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society.
Epilepsy
Patients Much More Likely to Die of COVID: Although their ages were similar, patients with epilepsy
were nearly 1.5 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than other infected
patients at a hospital system during the first 14 months of the pandemic,
according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American
Epilepsy Society. While the findings are preliminary and not yet adjusted
for various confounders, the authors say they are a warning sign that patients
with epilepsy may face higher risks.
Omicron may
be headed for a rapid drop in US and Britain: Scientists are seeing signals that
COVID-19′s alarming omicron wave may have peaked in Britain and is about to do
the same in the U.S., at which point cases may start dropping off dramatically.
The variant has proved so
wildly contagious that it may already be running out of people to infect, just
a month and a half after it was first detected. Medical Express
COVID is not
just a respiratory illness, it can cause strokes too: A new study adds to mounting
evidence that COVID patients have an added risk of stroke. Researchers analyzed
data on more than 20,000 U.S. adults hospitalized with COVID-19 between January
and November 2020. The analysis found that their risk of stroke was higher than
for patients with other types of infections, including flu. The Lancet
Preliminaryresearch suggests SARS-CoV-2 virus less infectious within five minutes ofexposure to air: In
a study that has not yet been peer-reviewed or accepted for publication,
researchers at Bristol University in the U.K. have found evidence that suggests
the SARS-CoV-2 virus becomes less infectious within five minutes of exposure to
air. The team has published a paper on the pre-print server MedRxiv describing
tests designed to simulate the behavior of the virus after it is transmitted
into the air by an infected person.
PAIN
Over half of
people with multiple long-term conditions experience chronic pain: People with multimorbidity—two or
more long-term health conditions—showed a greater association with chronic
pain, according to a new study. The study found that over half (53.8%) of
people with two or three long term conditions—and around 75% of those with 4 or
more long-term conditions—reported at least one site of chronic pain. This
means that, respectively, those people were twice as likely and four times as
likely to experience chronic pain than that of a person with no long-term
conditions. Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity
AAN issues
guideline for treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy Neurology®
Can
antidepressant medication alleviate pain in patients with osteoarthritis? In
the trial of patients experiencing chronic osteoarthritis-related pain in the
hip or knee that did not go away with over-the-counter medications, 66 were
randomized to duloxetine added to usual care and 66 were randomized to usual
care alone. The trial's investigators found that duloxetine did not
lessen pain at 3 months or 12 months.
Arthritis & Rheumatology
Antidepressant
medication does not alleviate pain in patients with osteoarthritis: A clinical trial published in Arthritis & Rheumatology
recently examined whether duloxetine, a medication that is prescribed to treat
depression and may also reduce chronic pain, can benefit patients with hip or
knee osteoarthritis. The trial’s investigators found that duloxetine did not
lessen pain at 3 months or 12 months.
Drugcombination reduces narcotic use, manages pain after surgery for teens withscoliosis: Intrathecal
morphine and oral gabapentin, an anticonvulsant that is used to treat
nerve-related pain, when given to adolescents undergoing scoliosis surgery,
found that patients required fewer oral narcotics ager surgery, average pain
scores were more stable and they experienced fewer side effects, such as nausea
and vomiting. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research
Vitamin D
supplementation could reduce migraine headache attacks: A systematic review of randomized
controlled trials exploring the effect of vitamin D for migraine patients- six
randomized controlled trials with 301 patients-concludes that that
vitamin D supplementation could reduce headache attacks per month, headache
days per month, and migraine disability assessment questionnaire scores
compared with controls, but it had no obvious effect on attack duration or
headache severity. American Journal of Emergency
Medicine
Mindfulness-based
cognitive therapy beneficial in migraine: A migraine-specific adaptation of
the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program does not improve
headache-related impairment among patients with migraine, but does result in
reduced headache frequency and improved psychological functioning, according to
a study published online Dec. 21 in the International Journal of Behavioral
Medicine. Abstract/Full
Text
Aquatic
exercise cuts pain, disability from chronic low back pain: Therapeutic aquatic exercise leads
to greater pain alleviation in patients with chronic low back pain compared
with physical therapy. JAMA Network Open
COMPLEMENTARY
& ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Marijuana
users' risk of deadly complication doubles after rare type of bleeding stroke: Among people with an aneurysmal subarachnoid
hemorrhage (aSAH) stroke, a type of bleeding stroke, recent marijuana users
were more than twice as likely to develop a dangerous complication that can
result in death or greater disability. Stroke
Survival odds higher for breast cancer patients with access to integrative therapies: Breast cancer patients treated at
hospitals and health systems that educate patients and provide integrative
health services have a better chance of survival compared to those treated at
institutions with few of these resources, according to a new study published in
the Journal of Oncology. Integrative health services include
complementary and lifestyle therapies, such as nutrition and exercise
counseling, in addition to medical cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and
surgery.
Whole-plant Cannabis Linked
to Large Reduction in Seizures:
In a small case series, children with severe treatment-resistant epilepsy
treated with a range of whole-plant extract cannabis-based medical products
(CBMPs) reported an 86% reduction in monthly seizures. All participants had no
improvement with traditional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The findings were published online
December 14 in BMJ Paediatrics
Open.
College
Cannabis Users Report Worsening Depression, Anxiety: Results from a survey study of
college students showed that the mental health of those using cannabis worsened
over a 5-year period. "A very crucial part of this study is the finding of
a growing mental health impact, based on worsening screening scores for
depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being." American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
(AAAP) 32nd Annual Meeting.
FDA ACTION
• Approved
Solensia (frunevetmab injection), the first treatment for the control of pain
associated with osteoarthritis in cats and the first monoclonal antibody (mAb)
• Amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to shorten the time between the completion of a
primary series of the vaccine and a booster dose to at least five months for
individuals 18 years of age and older.
• Amended the
emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to: Expand
the use of a single booster dose to include use in individuals 12 through 15
years of age. Shorten the time between the completion of primary vaccination of
the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and a booster dose to at least five
months. Allow for a third primary series dose for certain immunocompromised
children 5 through 11 years of age.
• Issued
an emergency use authorization for Merck’s molnupiravir for the
treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults with
positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk
for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and for
whom alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by the FDA are not
accessible or clinically appropriate.
• Authorized the marketing of 22nd Century Group Inc.’s “VLN
King” and “VLN Menthol King” combusted, filtered cigarettes as modified risk
tobacco products (MRTPs), which help reduce exposure to, and consumption of,
nicotine for smokers who use them.
• Approved Apretude (cabotegravir extended-release
injectable suspension) for use in at-risk adults and adolescents weighing at
least 35 kilograms (77 pounds) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce
the risk of sexually acquired HIV.
PREVENTION:
Exercise
Move more
often supports better long-term weight loss for older adults: When considered alongside the
current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, new findings suggest that
focusing less on structured exercise, and more on building frequent periods of
enjoyable movement into the day, will more likely contribute to health benefits
that can be sustained. This study is the first to demonstrate that a behavioral
intervention focused on moving often throughout the day produces similar
short-term weight loss and better long-term weight maintenance relative to a
high volume of aerobic treadmill walking. Obesity
Exercise
alters brain chemistry to protect aging synapses: When elderly people stay active,
their brains have more of a class of proteins that enhances the connections
between neurons to maintain healthy cognition, a new study has found. This
protective impact was found even in people whose brains at autopsy were riddled
with toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative
diseases. Alzheimer's & Dementia
HIIT for
liver health: Aerobic
exercise interventions incorporating either high-intensity interval training
(HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) are effective for
improving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism
How do
weight changes and physical functioning affect mortality in older women? In a study published in the Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society that included 5,039 older women who were
followed for an average of 5.4 years, loss of 5% or more body weight was
associated with a 66% higher risk of dying. Weight gain was not related to
mortality. Higher grip strength and better lower extremity functioning were
associated with lower risks of death during follow-up, regardless of weight
change. "Our findings
support increasing efforts to improve mobility and muscle strength in older
women and less focus on long-term weight loss in this population.” Journal of the American
Geriatrics Society
How exercise
interventions could help people with asthma: Interventions aimed at promoting
physical activity in people with asthma could improve their symptoms and
quality of life—according to new research. Patients with asthma may have had
difficulty with exercise programs because of their difficulty travelling to
fitness groups or because the interventions were not suitable for people with
additional health conditions. Digital
interventions—such as video appointments, smartwatches and mobile apps could
remove some of these barriers and enable patients to carry out home-based
programs in future. Journal of Health Psychology
Exercise at
high altitude could increase low blood sugar risk in people with diabetes: People with diabetes may need to monitor
their blood sugar more closely
when doing high-altitude activities such as hiking or
skiing, according to a small study published in the
Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
HIIT for
liver health: New
research suggests that aerobic exercise interventions incorporating
either high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous
training (MICT) are effective for improving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Effect of High-intensity
Interval Training vs Moderate-intensity Continuous Training on Liver
Fat: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Get moving
to put the brakes on early Parkinson's: A new study suggests that people
with early-stage Parkinson's disease who regularly got one to two hours of
moderate exercise twice a week, like walking or gardening, may have less
trouble balancing, walking and doing daily activities later. Neurology
PREVENTION:
Diet/Nutrition
Plant-based
doesn't always mean healthy:
Plant-based meats are often high in sodium, ultra-processed and not any
healthier than the meat they imitate. According to one study this year, the
nutritional benefit of plant-based foods is minimal. Diets that substituted
animal products with the plant-based alternative were below the daily
recommendations for vitamin B12, calcium, potassium, zinc and magnesium, and
higher in sodium, sugar and saturated fat.
High-fiber
diet associated with improved progression-free survival and response to
immunotherapy in melanoma patients
Science
Want to
avoid glaucoma? Look at what you eat:
Eat right to protect your sight. That's
the advice of the Glaucoma Research Foundation, which offers its recipe
for healthier eyes. A study that included 584 Black
women found that those who consumed three or more fruit or juice servings daily
were 79% less likely to have glaucoma than those who had less than one. Leafy
greens are one of those veggies to focus on. Research has found a link between
kale and spinach consumption and a reduced risk of glaucoma, the foundation
said.
Higher olive
oil intake associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality: Consuming more than 7 grams (>1/2
tablespoon) of olive oil per day is associated with lower risk of
cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer mortality, neurodegenerative disease
mortality and respiratory disease mortality, according to a study publishing today
in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study found
that replacing about 10 grams/day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise and dairy
fat with the equivalent amount of olive oil is associated with lower risk of
mortality as well. Journal of the American
College of Cardiology
Binge
drinking linked to first episodes of heart rhythm disorder: This is the first study to show an association between increased
drinking and hospital visits for atrial fibrilation( AF) in a large population,
and the first to link acute alcohol with an increased incidence of new-onset AF
in previously undiagnosed individuals. Nature Cardiovascular Research
Dried goji
berries may provide protection against age-related vision loss: Regularly eating a small serving of
dried goji berries may help prevent or delay the development of age-related
macular degeneration, or AMD, in healthy middle-aged people, according to a
small, randomized trial Nutrients
PREVENTION:
Vitamins/Supplements
Prebiotics
supplements help women reduce sugar intake by four percent: A new study found that young women who
took four weeks of prebiotic supplements made healthier food choices and
consumed less sugar. The prebiotics used in this study were
galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) which increase the amount of
"friendly" gut bacteria. Nutrients
Vitamin D
supplements may reduce the duration of the common cold: Research shows that vitamin D
influences the risk of catching common colds and other respiratory infections. recent research shows that
vitamin D supplementation reduces the severity and duration of common colds.
Vitamin D supplementation did not reduce the likelihood of getting a common cold,
but it did reduce the number of days a participant had a common cold by 36
percent. It also reduced the peak severity of common cold symptoms by 15
percent.
Melatonin
exacerbates asthma, study finds:
Asthma sufferers generally find their condition gets worse
at night. Now researchers may understand why. Melatonin, a sleep hormone that
is sometimes prescribed to treat insomnia, exasperates the constriction of the
bronchus -- the pathway that moves air to and from your lungs, according to a
new study. American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular
Physiology
Researchers
urge: 'Prescribe aspirin based on benefit-to-risk not age': Recent guidelines have restricted
aspirin use in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease to patients
under 70, and more recent guidance to patients under 60. Yet, the risks of
heart attacks and strokes increase markedly with age. Researchers urge that to
do the most good for the most patients in primary prevention of heart attacks
and strokes, health care providers should make individual clinical judgements
about prescribing aspirin on a case-by-case basis and based on benefit-to-risk
not age. They conducted an updated meta-analysis, which adds the results of the
four recent trials to the previous comprehensive meta-analysis of six earlier
major trials, and aspirin produced a statistically significant 13 percent
reduction in cardiovascular disease with similar benefits at older ages in each
of the individual trials. Family Medicine and Community Health
Taking
high-dose vitamin D supplements for five years did not affect the incidence of cardiovascular
disease or cancer: A
trial found that taking a much higher dose of vitamin D than recommended for
five years did not affect total mortality or the incidence of cardiovascular
disease or cancer in older men and women. The American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition
Vitamin D
supplementation does not improve symptoms in people with psychosis: New research involving 149
participants found no evidence that vitamin D supplementation taken over six
months improves mental or physical health symptoms in people with psychosis.
Participants did however show high rates of vitamin D deficiency which could
have longer term health impacts not captured in the study, according to
researchers. JAMA Psychiatry
PREVENTION:
Other
Ditching
cigarettes for smokeless tobacco can help cut cardiovascular risks, study finds: Regular smokers are at heightened
risk of developing cardiovascular disease, but crushing the butts in favor of a
"smokeless" alternative like chewing tobacco, snuff or tobacco
lozenges may go a long way toward bringing the danger down to a more normal
level, a new UCLA-led study shows. Nicotine & Tobacco
Research
People with
high-risk prediabetes benefit from intensive lifestyle intervention: Intensive lifestyle intervention
with plenty of exercise helps people with prediabetes improve their blood
glucose levels over a period of years and thus delay or even prevent type 2
diabetes. In particular, individuals with prediabetes at highest risk benefited
from intensive lifestyle intervention. Diabetes
Breastfeeding
reduces mothers' cardiovascular disease risk, review found: Women who breastfed were less likely
to develop heart disease or a stroke, or die from cardiovascular disease than
women who did not breastfeed, according to a meta-analysis. Breastfeeding also
has been linked to maternal health benefits, including lower risk for Type 2
diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Journal of the American Heart
Association
Years lived
alone and/or serial break-ups strongly linked to inflammation in men: Living alone for several years
and/or experiencing serial relationship break-ups are strongly linked to raised
levels of inflammatory markers in the blood–but only in men–finds a large
population study. Divorce and committed relationship break-ups, which are often
followed by a potentially lengthy period of living alone, have been associated
with a heightened risk of poor physical and mental health, lowered immunity,
and death. British
Medical Journal
Secondhand
nicotine vaping at home linked to heightened risk of bronchitic symptoms in
young adults: Secondhand
exposure at home to the nicotine vapor from e-cigarettes is linked to a
heightened risk of bronchitic symptoms and shortness of breath among young
adults. Thorax
Reducing air
pollution could lower dementia risk for older women in the U.S.: Using data from the National
Institutes of Health-funded Women's Health Initiative Memory Study-Epidemiology
of Cognitive Health Outcomes (WHIMS-ECHO), researchers analyzed the link
between reductions in air pollution and the development of dementia among women
aged 74 to 92. Among women
living in locations with the greatest reductions in two types of air
pollutants—fine
particulate matter (PM2.5) and the traffic-related pollutant nitrogen
dioxide (NO2)—the risk of dementia decreased by 14% and 26%
respectively. The benefit from lower air pollution was consistent despite
differences among study participants in age, geographic area, socioeconomic
background, cardiovascular risk factors and apolipoprotein E genotype. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences
Psychogenic Seizures Tied to Sexual Assault, Stroke: Individuals who have experienced
sexual trauma have more than a tenfold increased risk of developing psychogenic
nonepileptic seizures (PNESs) and are also more likely to suffer a stroke, new
research shows. Medscape
Self-perceptions
of aging and stress have significant impact on physical health: As adults age, it's common to start
thinking about how getting older affects their energy, physical health and
cognitive well-being. But
dwelling on negative aspects of aging can have a measurable negative impact on
your physical health and ability to respond to stress. The
Journals of Gerontology
No
Convincing Evidence That Hangover Cures Work: A systematic review of 21 randomized
clinical trials that examined hangover cures revealed there is no high-quality
evidence supporting any of the remedies touted to prevent or abort
alcohol-related symptoms, such as headache, nausea, stomachache and tiredness,
according to the results published in Addiction. "Of the limited remedies
studied scientifically, clove extract, tolfenamic acid, and pyritinol show the
most promise to be further examined in larger well-designed studies.”
TREATMENT
Botox
injections may reduce anxiety:
People receiving Botox injections at four different
sites—not just in the forehead—reported anxiety significantly less often than
patients undergoing different treatments for the same conditions. The reported
anxiety risk was 22 to 72 percent lower in Botox-treated patients for four of
eight conditions and injection sites: facial muscles for cosmetic use; facial
and head muscles for migraine; upper and lower limbs for spasm and spasticity;
and neck muscles for torticollis. Scientific Reports
American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons updates guideline for managing hip fracture in
seniors
Single Infusion
of Ketamine Rapidly Reduces Suicidal Thoughts: What was unclear was what else
changed that could decrease suicidal ideation and the risk for suicidal
behavior. This study identifies a second new domain of improvement — namely
rapid improvement in several cognitive functions that can potentially reduce
suicide risk. The study was
published
online in the Journal of
Clinical Psychiatry.
Ketamine and
psychological therapy helped severe alcoholics abstain for longer in trial: People with severe alcohol disorder
were able to stay off alcohol for longer when they were treated with low doses
of ketamine combined with psychological therapy in a clinical trial. American Journal of
Psychiatry
Relatlimab
plus nivolumab improves progression-free survival in metastatic melanoma: In patients with untreated, advanced
melanoma, the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors relatlimab and
nivolumab doubled the progression-free survival benefit compared to nivolumab
alone, with a manageable safety profile, according to the results of the Phase
II/III RELATIVITY-047 clinical trial. New England Journal of
Medicine
In 1st, US
surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient: While it's too soon to know if the
operation really will work, it marks a step in the decades-long quest to one
day use animal organs for life-saving transplants. Doctors at the University of
Maryland Medical Center say the transplant showed that a heart from a
genetically modified animal can function in the human body without immediate
rejection.
PTSD
treatment can help patients with childhood trauma: Adults who were abused or mistreated
as a child and consequently suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
can benefit greatly from cognitive behavioral therapy concludes a study of 149
patients.
rTMS as a
treatment for Veterans with cognitive impairment and multiple co-morbidities: A
recent study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, showed
that a novel treatment, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS),
may have the potential of improving the memory function in Veterans with
cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. rTMS has been previously
approved by the FDA for treating patients with treatment-resistant depression. Journal of Alzheimer's
Disease
ADA updates
standards of medical care in diabetes for 2022: The Standards of Medical Care in
Diabetes clinical practice guideline has been updated for 2022 by the American
Diabetes Association and published as a supplement to the January issue of Diabetes Care
OTHER
Study
examines attachment to God, psychological distress: A national study examines the link
between perceived relationship with God and mental health from a sample of more
than 1,600 Americans. The research suggests that religious believers who relate
to God in an uncertain or anxious manner are more likely to experience symptoms
of psychological distress, including anxiety, paranoia, obsession and
compulsion. Journal for the Scientific
Study of Religion
Family and
friends are the invisible workforce in long-term care: It is generally assume that when a
loved one moves to an assisted living facility or a nursing home, their needs
for care are met by paid staff, relieving the burden on family and friends.
Anew study in Health Affairs challenges that assumption, finding that
family and friends continue to provide substantial amounts of care in these
facilities, amounting to an invisible workforce, providing more than an extra
"shift" of care every week in nursing homes and two
"shifts" in assisted living facilities, on average. Health Affairs
Severity of
menopause symptoms can affect a woman's cognitive performance: Menopause is often accompanied by an
array of symptoms that can detract from a woman's quality of life. A new study
suggests that the severity of some of those symptoms—especially depression and
sexual dysfunction—were linked to a woman's cognitive performance. Menopause
Main stream news more reliable than social, alternative media for accurate healthinformation: Accuracy
and truth, according to a new study involving three countries, including the
United States, has been found by individuals who rely more on mainstream news..
Meanwhile, people who depend on social media or less-established forms of
"alternative" health media are more likely to subscribe to false
beliefs about health. Health Communication
