COVID-19
Covid-19 Prevention
At Home With COVID-19: How Filtration and Open Windows Can Help Stop the Spread: Officials recommend that people who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 isolate in their homes for at least 5 days. They also say that they should open windows and make use of air filtration systems to lower the risk of spreading the illness in their household. Experts say these precautions are also a good idea as a standard practice at workplaces.Healthline
Nostril swab best way to test for COVID-19, study finds: In a new study, Cornell researchers found that nasopharyngeal swabs – taken from far back inside the nostril – were more effective at detecting COVID-19 than saliva tests or swabs just inside the nostril or under the tongue. The researchers also found that detection rates were lower in asymptomatic patients, confirming the rationale for shortened isolation guidelines. study, published May 16 in Microbiology Spectrum
COVID-19: Vaccines/Boosters
Worried About Which COVID-19 Vaccine is Better? Study Finds Getting Three Doses is Key: Three doses of the same COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of different types work similarly well at preventing infections and hospital admissions, even those caused by different variants, a May 31, 2022 study in The BMJTrusted Source found.
COVID-19 Vaccines: How The Fall Version Could Be Different: Experts say COVID-19 vaccines are evolving as the pandemic eases into a more endemic stage. They expect vaccines in the near future will be targeted toward variants, much like the current flu shots. They also say COVID-19 vaccines could be administered on an annual basis soon. In the meantime, they encourage people to get booster shots to build up immunity. Healthline
Few differences in safety profiles of Moderna, Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines: Both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines have a low risk of adverse events over a 38-week period, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. “Adverse events were rare after both vaccines, particularly when compared with the health risks driven by infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, which both vaccines are highly effective at preventing.” A large panel of potential adverse events was evaluated, and risks over 38 weeks were generally low after receipt of either vaccine. Veterans receiving the Moderna vaccine were slightly less likely – a difference of less than two-tenths of one percent – to experience stroke, myocardial infraction, other thromboembolic events, or kidney injury.
Heart failure patients unvaccinated against COVID-19 are three times more likely to die from it than boosted heart failure patients J
COVID-19: Treatment
LSU Health study shows promise of NB-UVB phototherapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study has found that narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy is safe and decreased death in a small group of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The results are published online in Experimental Dermatology, available here. While hospitalized and not requiring positive-pressure oxygen supplementation or critical care, the 30 subjects were treated every 24 hours with escalating doses of NB-UVB or placebo. No adverse events occurred. The 28-day mortality in the NB-UVB treatment group was 13.3% vs.33.3% in the placebo arm. Reduced mortality was observed in both unvaccinated and fully or partially vaccinated patients.
Can COVID-19 Symptoms Come Back After Using Paxlovid? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement on May 24 that some people treated with Paxlovid experience “COVID-19 rebound” between two and 8 days after their initial recovery. These people experience a return of their symptoms and/or a new positive COVID test after having tested negative. This has occurred in unvaccinated people, as well as those who are vaccinated and boosted. It’s not clear how common this is. Currently, this type of rebounding appears to be rare.
Study finds few COVID-19 patients get rebound symptoms after Paxlovid treatment: Mayo Clinic researchers studied the outcomes of 483 high-risk patients treated for Covid-19 with a five-day oral regimen of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, together marketed as Paxlovid. Only a handful developed COVID-19 rebound symptoms, and the researchers say more studies are needed to determine why. Overall, the treatment benefited everyone in the study. All recovered, including the patients who developed rebound symptoms, which were generally mild. The findings appear in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
COVID-19: Long-Covid
Sleep disturbances, fatigue common in patients who recovered from COVID: Nearly all patients who recovered from COVID-19 report lingering fatigue, while half experience sleep disturbances, according to a recent analysis from Cleveland Clinic. Researchers found that race, obesity, and mood disorders are contributors. More than two-thirds of patients (67.2%) reported at least moderate fatigue, while 21.8% reported severe fatigue. Eight percent of patients reported severe sleep disturbances, and 41.3% reported at least moderate sleep disturbances.
75 Percent of People with Long COVID Were Not Hospitalized Initially: About 75 percent of people experiencing long COVID were not hospitalized with their initial COVID-19 illness. A new analysis suggests that even people with mild or moderate COVID-19 cases that didn’t require hospital admission can still develop long COVID. “We know that people who get long COVID may have a severe infection, they may be hospitalized or may even have asymptomatic infections. So, it’s not surprising that so many people with long COVID have not been hospitalized, especially if you consider that the vast majority of people with COVID-19 are not hospitalized.”
Vaccines Offer Modest Protection Against Long COVID: A new study published in Nature MedicineTrusted Source, researchers analyzed the medical records of over 13 million veterans stored in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) database. They analyzed data from 113,474 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients and nearly 34,000 fully vaccinated patients who experienced COVID-19 breakthrough infections from Jan. 1 through Oct. 31, 2021. Researchers found that vaccinated people were about 15 percentTrusted Source less likely to develop long COVID than people who were not vaccinated. Study findings also indicated that long COVID risk was 17 percent higher among vaccinated immunocompromised people with breakthrough infections compared to previously healthy, vaccinated people. Researchers also compared long-term health outcomes with a pre-pandemic control group of nearly 6 million people that never had COVID-19. They found people with breakthrough infections had a significantly higher risk of death, diseases of major organs, and neurological conditions.
Does Vaccination Help? A recent studyTrusted Source based in the United Kingdom found that getting vaccinated after a COVID-19 positive test can reduce the risk of long COVID. The researchers examined data about 28,000 people between ages 18 and 69 who were given at least one vaccination dose after they had tested positive for COVID-19. The researchers found that long COVID symptoms were reported in 24 percent of people at least once during the follow-up period of seven months. A first dose of COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a decrease of 13 percent in the risk of getting long COVID initially, while a second dose was associated with a further 9 percent decrease.
Worried About Long COVID? You May Be at Less Risk if You’ve Had Omicron Variant: Researchers from Kings College London have found that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is less likely to cause long COVID than the Delta variant of the disease is. According to their studyTrusted Source published in the journal The Lancet, the odds of experiencing long COVID were between 20 to 50 percent less during the period that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was dominant versus the Delta variant period, depending on age and time since vaccination.
The lasting symptoms among COVID-19 long haulers: More than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, scientists have become increasingly aware of a group of patients — so-called ‘long haulers’ — who remain plagued by a combination of symptoms long after the infection passes. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, specialists from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) describe their findings related to their multidisciplinary clinical work in this area. Commonly, patients with long COVID present with ‘brain fog’, a vague description including lack of sleep, anxiety, depression and a history of headache or migraine combined with trouble with attention and word finding difficulties as well as executive dysfunction.
COVID-19 on the brain: Neurological symptoms persist in majority of long-haulers: Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine are conducting a longitudinal study to track neurological symptoms in COVID-19 “long-haulers.” The first round of results, published June 15, 2022 in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, revealed the prevalence of various short- and long-term symptoms and found that, while many patients showed improvement, the majority still had some neurological symptoms after six months. A subset of individuals also exhibited significant coordination and cognitive issues, which had not been previously described. These symptoms include cognitive deficits, tremor and difficulty balancing.
Long COVID Could Be a ‘Mass Deterioration Event’: As many as 50 million Americans are intolerant. A similar number have acne, allergies, hearing loss, or chronic pain. Now consider what it would mean for a similar number to have long COVID: Instead of having blemishes, a runny nose, or soy milk in the fridge, they might have difficulty breathing, overwhelming fatigue, or deadly blood clots. Even if that 30 percent estimate is too high—even if the true rate at which people develop post-acute symptoms were more like 10 or 5 or even 2 percent, as other research suggests—the total number of patients would still be staggering, many millions nationwide. As experts and advocates have observed, the emergence of long COVID would best be understood as a “mass disabling event” of historic proportions, with the health-care system struggling to absorb an influx of infirmity, and economic growth blunted for years to come. The Atlantic
COVID-19: Other
The US is ending pre-departure COVID-19 testing for inbound airline passengers: The decision to lift the COVID-19 testing requirement comes after the CDC is said to have determined it was no longer necessary, according to the most recent science and data.
The CDC plans to reassess its decision to lift testing requirements in 90 days. At that time, it will determine if there is a need to reinstate it if cases dramatically increase or a concerning new variant is discovered, for example. CNN reports
Black and Hispanic People More Likely to Get Inaccurate Blood Oxygen Readings: New research has found that pulse oximetry readings — a tool used to measure blood oxygen saturation levels and guide treatment options for COVID-19 — have been less accurate in Black, Asian and Hispanic patients. The studyTrusted Source, recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also found that Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to experience delayed or unrecognized eligibility for COVID-19 treatments. The findings add to previous research suggesting that inaccurate pulse oximeter readings are more common among Black and Hispanic people, which can lead to life-threatening delays in treatment.
PAIN
People with rheumatic diseases have deteriorated sex lives: Findings of a new study demonstrate that people with RA or PA have a deteriorated sexual life when compared to a healthy population – with impact evident across all domains of the sexual sphere. As shown in previous studies, age, gender, perceived health, employment situation, and economic status are related to the risk of suffering from sexual dysfunction. The researchers suggest that these factors must be considered as a holistic part of care, and recommend that the CSFQ-14 questionnaire be used as a tool for the management of sexual health in people with RMDs. European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology
Addressing pain in rheumatic disease: Opioids and other strategies: Researchers investigated a novel approach focused on the activation of peripheral opioid receptors, using small, systemically inactive doses of morphine. Adult patients with chronic knee arthritis and a high level of pain at baseline received a single dose of either morphine, steroid, or placebo – all delivered via intra-articular injection. The results showed that a single dose of 3 mg intra-articular morphine did not lead to significant pain improvements in comparison to placebo, and was inferior to steroid at day 7. These data do not support the use of intra-articular morphine for pain reduction in patients with chronic arthritis European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology
Spinal anesthesia associated with more pain, prescription analgesic use after hip surgery compared with general anesthesia: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing spinal versus general anesthesia for hip surgery found that spinal anesthesia was associated with worse pain immediately after surgery and higher rates of pain reliever prescriptions at 60 days. However, differences in pain, satisfaction, or mental status between the two interventions seemed to diminish at 60, 180, or 365 days after surgery. Annals of Internal Medicine.
New study cites a possible breakthrough treatment in pain management: Damaged nerves can be regenerated with the application of a frozen needle under advanced imaging guidance, according to new research to be presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston. The technique, called interventional cryoneurolysis, is performed by an interventional radiologist and can offer hope to patients in persistent pain following a traumatic injury.
Early study suggests a new, injectable gel may greatly reduce chronic low back pain: An experimental formulation of a hydrogel, injected into spinal discs, proved safe and effective in substantially relieving chronic low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD), according to new research to be presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting, in Boston. Hydrogels have been used for a number of years to treat DDD, but the current study is the first test of this particular gel in humans.
Diet unlikely to ease progression of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis: Diet is unlikely to make any difference to the progression of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, finds a review of the existing scientific evidence, published in the open access journal RMD Open https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/954079
COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Can CBD Impact Your Driving Ability? In the new small study, which was published May 30 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, researchers gave 17 people CBD in oil — at one of three doses (15, 300, or 1,500 milligrams) or an inactive placebo. The study found that cannabidiol (CBD) had little effect on people’s driving, but more research is needed. People can experience drowsiness while using CBD.
Some cannabis products associated with short-term chronic pain improvements, but side effects a concern: A review of 25 trials and studies assessing cannabinoids has found that oral synthetic cannabis products with high THC-to-CBD ratios and extracted cannabis products with comparable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-to-cannabidiol (CBD) ratios were associated with moderate, short-term chronic pain improvements. However, these products were associated with higher risks for adverse events (increase risk for sdeation and dizziness) and few benefits in overall functioning. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The Association Between Acupuncture Therapies and Reduced Fracture Risk in Patients with Osteoarthritis: A Nationwide Retrospective Matched Cohort Study results revealed the association between acupuncture therapies and a reduced incidence of fracture development in patients with osteoarthritis. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
Latest Research on Cannabis as a Treatment for Chronic Pain Remains Unclear: A recent review of cannabis products in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine looked at the existing body of knowledge related to the question of whether cannabis is a good choice for treating chronic pain. Unfortunately, there is only a small amount of strong clinical research on the effects of cannabis. According to experts, the study of cannabis and chronic pain is both extremely complex and full of legal and regulatory hurdles. Without more information, it’s difficult for doctors to know whether cannabis could benefit their patients. Both patients and clinicians remain interested in cannabis as a potentially safer alternative to opioids for pain management.
FDA ACTION
• Approved Tapinar, a a New Cream for Plaque Psoriasis in Adults
• Authorized Covid-19 Vaccines for Kids Under 5
• Approved Olumiant for Alopecia Areata
• Approved edaravone, an oral form of the drug Radicava for ALS
PREVENTION: Exercise
Association of sedentary time, physical activity with stroke risk: In this study of 7,600 adults with accelerometer measurements of sedentary time and physical activity, greater accumulation of light-intensity and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity were both associated with a reduced risk of stroke while greater time spent being sedentary and longer bouts of sedentary time were associated with an increased risk of stroke. JAMA Network Open
The Optimal Time of Day for Exercise Might be Different for Men and Women: Men and women have different optimum workout times during the day, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Physiology. The study followed 30 women and 26 men between 25 and 55 years who were considered “highly active” individuals with an established history of regular exercise — 27 women and 20 men ultimately completed the study. The results showed that women burned more fat and improved blood pressure readings by exercising in the morning compared to men who burned more fat at night.
Walking towards healthier knees: A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveals that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among people age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Additionally, findings from the study indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint.
Exercise May Boost Your Immune Response to Flu Shots: A new studyTrusted Source out of Australia and the United Kingdom reports that exercise can boost a person’s immune response after they get a flu shot. However, the benefits seem to be more pronounced in those who already exercise or exercise “acutely.” The benefits also appear to help older adults more than other age groups.
Training virtually can reduce psychosocial stress and anxiety: Previous research has described how virtual training produces acute cognitive and neural benefits. Building on those results, a new study suggests that a similar virtual training can also reduce psychosocial stress and anxiety. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Nordic walking improves functional capacity in people with heart disease: Researchers identified a greater increase in functional capacity, the ability to perform activities of daily living, as a result of Nordic walking in patients with coronary heart disease compared to standard high-intensity interval training and moderate-to-vigorous intensity continuous training. Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
PREVENTION: Diet/Nutrition
Coffee consumption link to reduced risk of acute kidney injury, study finds: Arecent study has revealed that consuming at least one cup of coffee a day may reduce the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) when compared to those who do not drink coffee. Kidney International Reports
Drinking Coffee (Even with Sugar) May Increase Your Lifespan: People who drink the popular beverage were less likely to die during a seven-year follow-up period. The effect was strongest in people with moderate coffee consumption, equating to about 1.5 to 3.5 cups daily. Both sweetened and unsweetened coffee were linked to a lower risk for death. However, people drinking sweetened coffee did a bit better than those who took no sugar in their cup of brew. Drinkers of sweetened coffee were as much as 31 percent less likely to die while those who drank unsweetened coffee were 21 percent less likely to die. The study was set up as a prospective cohort study.
All physicians should know the benefits of plant-based diets for these six health conditions: A new commentary in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine says that all physicians should be aware of the benefits of a plant-based diet for six health conditions: weight loss and maintenance, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and COVID-19.
Low glycemic index diet helps heart patients lose weight: Eating low glycaemic index foods promotes a healthier body shape in patients with coronary artery disease, according to a study presented at ACNAP-EuroHeartCare Congress 2022. The glycaemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate-containing foods according to how quickly they affect blood sugar levels. High GI foods cause a rapid increase in blood sugar and include white bread, white rice, potatoes and sweets. Low GI foods are digested more slowly and gradually raise blood sugar; they include some fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, broccoli and leafy greens, pulses such as chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans, and wholegrains such as brown rice and oats. Meat, poultry and fish do not have a GI rating because they do not contain carbohydrates.
Taste buds can adapt to low salt diet: A taste adaptation intervention lowers salt intake and increases enjoyment of a sodium restricted diet in patients with hypertension, according to a small study presented at ACNAP-EuroHeartCare Congress 2022.
Intermittent fasting: Is it all it's cracked up to be? Intermittent fasting is an increasingly popular weight loss dieting strategy. Beyond weight loss however, the diet has promising benefits that may reduce the risk of developing some chronic, lifestyle diseases. Medical News Today
Binge drinking raises risk of developing alcohol problems, even for moderate drinkers: Moderate drinkers who binge alcohol are at a significantly higher risk of developing alcohol problems than those who drink the same amount overall but don’t binge, according to a new study from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine,
Study Finds Fish Linked to Skin Cancer Risk, But You Don’t Need To Give Up on Seafood: Greater consumption of tuna and other non-fried fish was associated with an increased risk of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, according to a new study. Researchers suspect this link may be due to toxins rather than the fish itself.
Majority of Americans Think Their Diet Is Healthier Than it Is: When asked whether they are eating a healthy diet, many people are quick to say they think they are eating pretty well. However, a new study indicates that they may not be as accurate as they think they are. Most people studied had a hard time assessing the quality of their diet. However, those who were able to most accurately assess the quality of their diet were those who perceived it to be less healthy. In those cases, they were almost always correct. Nutrition 2022 Live Online
New nutrient profiling tools confirm starchy vegetables deliver comparable nutritional value as non-starchy vegetables and whole fruit: A new study recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition has challenged the tendency in nutrition research to separate starchy vegetables from their non-starchy counterparts and categorize them with foods delivering lower nutritional value. Whole grains, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, and fresh fruit are typically considered to be higher quality carbohydrate foods, yet starchy vegetables, including white potatoes, are typically categorized in nutrition studies with sweets, candy, and soda, when researchers assess subjects’ food intake and associations with health outcomes. This new study used five separate indices to assess carbohydrate quality to determine if this categorization of starchy vegetables is an accurate reflection of the foods’ nutritional value. “Now that we have formal measures of carbohydrate quality that we can agree on, it is time to put starchy vegetables back where they belong. There is no need to demonize ‘bad’ vegetables when the American diet could do with more produce of all kinds.”
PREVENTION: Vitamins/Supplements
About 3 Grams a Day of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Lower Blood Pressure: A new research reviewTrusted Source published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests the optimal daily dose for lowering blood pressure is 3 grams of omega-3s.
Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase the Risk of Dementia: Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of dementia. That’s according to researchers from the University of South Australia who say they have foundTrusted Source that a low level of vitamin D is associated with an increased risk of both dementia and stroke. The researchers used data from more than 294,000 participants in the UK Biobank.
Vitamin D does not prevent type 2 diabetes in high risk adults, trial finds: Daily vitamin D supplements do not seem to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in people already at high risk of the condition, finds a trial from Japan published by The BMJ
Calcium supps linked to earlier death in older people with heart valve disease: Calcium supplements, frequently given to older people to lessen the risk of brittle bones (osteoporosis) and fractures, are linked to a heightened risk of death among those with aortic valve stenosis, a progressive and potentially fatal condition, finds research published online in the journal Heart. What’s more, these supplements seem to worsen the condition, which is the most common form of heart valve disease in adults in the developed world, irrespective of whether or not they are combined with vitamin D, the findings show.
PREVENTION: Other
New guidelines for pancreatic cancer screening: New national guidelines published by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), recommending annual pancreatic cancer screening for patients who are at increased risk because of genetic susceptibility. While earlier guidelines had restricted screening to only those individuals with BRCA 1/2 who had a family history of pancreatic cancer, the new guidelines expand indication for screening for all with the gene variations regardless of family history. To learn more about the guidelines, read the full ASGE report published in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Growing up in an unsafe neighborhood may impact adult sleep health: A recent study of Black women found that growing up in an unsafe neighborhood was associated with poorer sleep in adulthood. Perceived unsafe neighborhood at ages 5 and 15 years was associated with frequent insomnia symptoms and frequently waking up feeling unrested, respectively. Participants who perceived their neighborhood as unsafe at age 10 years had a marginally higher prevalence of both frequently waking up feeling unrested and frequent insomnia symptoms during adulthood.
Healthy sleep predicts opportunities for children to succeed: A community’s sleep health is the most significant health predictor of children’s opportunities for positive growth and success, according to an analysis to be presented at SLEEP 2022.
You're Probably Not Using Sunblock as Well as You Think: A new survey that was just released by the AAD reveals that many Americans are still confused about the risks associated with tanning. One important finding that came out of the survey is that people think they are doing a much better job at protecting themselves than they really are. if you are getting a tan, you are not doing a good job of protecting yourself “There is no such thing as a safe tan.Every time you tan or burn, you are also damaging the DNA in your skin.”
Research finds that social isolation is directly associated with later dementia Neurology
Weight-Loss Surgery Slashes Cancer Risk and Mortality, New Study Finds: For many years, bariatric surgery has been a successful way to help people living with obesity shed unhealthy weight. New research suggests that it may also help to reduce the risk of developing six types of cancer known to be associated with obesity. Additionally, the new study’s findings, which were presented at the 2022 annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), suggest that people who underwent weight-loss surgery had a significantly lower risk of developing any type of cancer compared to their peers living with obesity who had not had surgery.
To Lose Weight and Keep It Off, Study Finds Lifestyle Changes and Medications Can Be Crucial: New research finds lifestyle changes combined with weight loss drugs enabled people with obesity and overweight to maintain a weight loss of nearly 11 percent for up to five years. ENDO 2022,
Studies point to role of lifestyle factors in Alzheimer’s risk and disparities: As rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia continue to rise in the U.S., new evidence suggests that lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and sleep play an important role in reducing the risk of developing dementia. Researchers say two new studies offer particular insights into the factors that may contribute to the disproportionate burden of dementia in non-White and low-income U.S. For the first study researchers drew data from 17,209 older study participants, 1,694 of whom were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or related dementias during a median follow-up of 4 years. They assessed five lifestyle factors — smoking, alcohol use, leisure-time physical activity, sleep hours and diet quality — both individually and in combination. The results showed that healthy choices (no smoking, high leisure-time exercise, low-to-moderate alcohol consumption, adequate sleep and a high-quality diet) were individually associated with an 11-25% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. When combined, a composite score of those five lifestyle factors was associated with a 36% reduced risk in the highest versus lowest quartile. These associations were independent of participants’ age, sex, race, education, income and underlying chronic diseases.
Seven healthy habits linked to lower risk of dementia in those with genetic risk: The seven cardiovascular and brain health factors, known as the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7, are: being active, eating better, losing weight, not smoking, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, controlling cholesterol, and reducing blood sugar. Neurology
TREATMENT
New drug combination lengthened survival for some with lung cancer: A study conducted under the Lung Cancer Master Protocol (Lung-MAP) found that patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer whose cancer had progressed on previous immunotherapy lived significantly longer when treated with a combination of ramucirumab (Cyramza®) plus pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) than when treated with one of the current standard therapies for this type of cancer. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 annual meeting in Chicago (abstract 9004) Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Weight loss with bariatric surgery cuts the risk of developing cancer and death from cancer: A Cleveland Clinic study shows that among adults with obesity, weight loss achieved with bariatric surgery was associated with a 32% lower risk of developing cancer and a 48% lower risk of cancer-related death compared with adults who did not have the surgery. The research is published by JAMA.
Target protein for diabetes drug linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease: Mechanisms associated with a particular diabetes drug can also help to protect against Alzheimer's disease, a new study reports. The results indicate that the drug's target protein can be an interesting candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neurology
The importance of treatment goals in PSA: PsA is a type of inflammatory arthritis linked to psoriasis - a chronic condition affecting the skin and nails. MDA is a treatment target used in PsA that takes both clinical manifestations and the patient perspective into account. new information presented at the 2022 EULAR Congress shows that PsA patients with sustained MDA have quality of life comparable to the general population after 1, 2 and 3 years of follow-up. However, those who did not achieve MDA in the first year after diagnosis tended to have lower quality of life compared to those with sustained MDA, and these differences persisted over time. These insights into the significance of MDA are complemented by another study released at the Congress, looking at findings from UPLIFT – a multinational survey among adults with a diagnosis of PsA and/or psoriasis, as well as treating rheumatologists and dermatologists.
The study – presented by Professor Pascal Richette – found that rheumatologists rated disease remission or low disease activity (LDA) as the most important goals, while patients were focused on decreasing joint pain. Patients and their rheumatologists generally agreed on the top factors contributing to disease severity, treatment goals, and attributes of ideal PsA therapy. However, the majority of patients did not feel aligned with their health care provider on current treatment goals.
Promising results for chemo-immunotherapy combination against pancreatic cancer: A combination of chemotherapy with an immunotherapy meant to unleash the anticancer capacity of the immune system was effective against one of the hardest targets in cancer care, pancreatic cancer, in a national, randomized clinical trial. The results of the small but promising trial were announced at a presentation at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, and simultaneously published in Nature Medicine.
OTHER
The Turnaway Study: The Turnaway Study is ANSIRH’s prospective longitudinal study examining the effects of unwanted pregnancy on women’s lives. The major aim of the study is to describe the mental health, physical health, and socioeconomic consequences of receiving an abortion compared to carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term. The main finding of The Turnaway Study is that receiving an abortion does not harm the health and wellbeing of women, but in fact, being denied an abortion results in worse financial, health and family outcomes.
A biomarker that can diagnose Parkinson's disease Researchers have successfully developed a biomarker that will enable Parkinson's disease to be rapidly and inexpensively diagnosed from blood serum samples. Being able to diagnose the disease faster will hopefully lead to the development of new treatment methods, which will have great benefit, especially for aging societies. Scientific Reports
How Your Height Affects Your Risk of Disease: How tall, or short, you are could affect your risk of certain medical conditions, a new studysuggests. For instance, being tall is linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat, but a lower risk of coronary heart disease. Similarly, taller people have a higher risk of varicose veins but a lower risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Shorter people, on the other hand, have a higher risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Highlights from the journal CHEST®, June 2022
Asthma: In a study of 120 children, “Azithromycin for Poorly Controlled Asthma in Children” found that compliance with azithromycin regimen improved asthma control and reduced exacerbations. A visual abstract for this research can be viewed here, and an animation of the research can be viewed here.
Chest Infections A retrospective, multicenter, matched-cohort study, “Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients in the ICU With RespiratorySyncytial Virus Compared With Those With Influenza Infection,” identifies the need to find preventative and therapeutic measures for severe respiratory syncytial virus infections in adults. A visual abstract for this research can be viewed here.
Critical Care Comparing patients with and without COVID-19, “Mechanical Ventilator Liberation of Patients With COVID-19 in Long-term Acute Care Hospital” provides new evidence that patients with COVID-19-associated respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy have a better recovery potential than those without COVID-19. A visual abstract for this research can be viewed here .
Sleep Original research, “Relationship Between CPAP Termination and All-Cause Mortality,” adds to a growing body of evidence for the beneficial effects of CPAP use on survival. A visual abstract for this research can be viewed here.
To view the entire June issue of the CHEST journal, visit journal.chestnet.org
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