Journal Watch April 2024

 

COVID-19 

Study Shows Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir No More Effective Than Placebo for COVID-19 Symptom Relief: Paxlovid does not significantly alleviate symptoms of COVID-19 compared with placebo among nonhospitalized adults, a new study published on April 3 in The New England Journal of Medicine found. 

 

Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including with significant drops in IQ scores: There is now abundant evidence that being infected with SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can affect brain health in many ways. In addition to brain fog, COVID-19 can lead to an array of problems, including headaches, seizure disorders, strokes, sleep problems, and tingling and paralysis of the nerves, as well as several mental health disorders. Two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine shed further light on the profound toll of COVID-19 on cognitive health.

 

 

PAIN

Chronic Pain Linked to Accelerated Brain Aging: Using structural MRI data from more than 9000 adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) from the UK Biobank, investigators developed a brain age model to compare an individual's brain age with their chronological age. Those with KOA showed a much faster rate of brain aging than healthy individuals. The acceleration in brain aging was largely driven by the hippocampus and predicted memory decline and incident dementia during follow-up. Researchers identified a gene highly expressed in glial cells as a possible genetic factor for accelerated brain aging. The study was published online on March 26 in Nature Mental Health.

 

A third of women experience migraines associated with menstruation, most commonly when premenopausal: A third of the nearly 20 million women who participated in a national health survey report migraines during menstruation, and of them, 11.8 million, or 52.5%, were premenopausal. The analysis was conducted by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center and Pfizer, Inc., which makes a migraine medication.  American Academy of Neurology 2024 Annual Meeting 

 

Physician empathy and chronic pain outcomes: In this study that included 1,470 adults with chronic low back pain, physician empathy was associated with better outcomes over 12 months. JAMA Network Open 

 

Study shows no difference in training methods for hip osteoarthritis: In the study, the researchers compared the effects of progressive resistance training and neuromuscular exercise, respectively. There was no measurable difference in the effects of the two types of training on physical function. 

 

Self-administered acupressure for probable knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older adults: In this randomized clinical trial with 314 participants, self-administered acupressure with a brief knee health education program was efficacious and cost-effective in relieving knee pain and improving mobility in middle-aged and older adults with probable knee osteoarthritis. JAMA Open Network 

 

 

 

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Breathe, don’t vent: Turning down the heat is key to managing anger: Venting about a source of anger might feel good in the moment, but it’s not effective at reducing the rage, new research suggests. Instead, techniques often used to address stress – deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, yoga or even counting to 10 – have been shown to be more effective at decreasing anger and aggression. Researchers analyzed over 150 studies involving more than 10,000 participants and found that what really works to reduce anger is lowering physiological arousal – in other words, turning down the heat. Activities that increased arousal overall had no effect on anger, and some activities made it worse – particularly jogging. “Despite what popular wisdom may suggest, even going for a run is not an effective strategy because it increases arousal levels and ends up being counterproductive.” Clinical Psychology Review.

 

Single Session Mindfulness Intervention Linked to Reduced Depression: One session of a telehealth intervention combining mindfulness and compassion significantly lowered self-perceived stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety compared with a waitlist control group, results of a new trial showed. published online on March 13, 2024, in PLOS ONE.

 

FDA ACTION

• Approved resmetirom (Rezdiffra, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals), the first drug to treat patients with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (consistent with stage F2 and F3 disease), along with diet and exercise. 

• Approved Pemgarda a monoclonal antibody infusion for immunocompromised people starting at age 12 to add another layer of protection from Covid-19

• Approved resmetirom (Rezdiffra, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals), the first drug to treat patients with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (consistent with stage F2 and F3 disease), along with diet and exercise. 

• Aprroved Rejoyn, the first-ever prescription app for major depressive disorder (MDD).

• Approved alectinib (Alecensa, Genentech, Inc.) for adjuvant treatment following tumor resection in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

• Approved Zevtera (ceftobiprole medocaril sodium for injection) for the treatment of adults with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (bacteremia) (SAB), including those with right-sided infective endocarditis; adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI); and adult and pediatric patients three months to less than 18 years old with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).

 

 

PREVENTION

Exercise

How sitting affects the health of older adults and what they can do to become more active: Decreasing sitting time by as little as 30 minutes daily can lower blood pressure, according to a new study. Researchers say reducing sitting time was comparable to increasing physical activity and lowering blood pressure.  new studyTrusted Source by Kaiser Permanente that was published today in the journal JAMA Network Open.

 

Just 15 Minutes of Exercise Can Boost Your Immune System: The findings, which are being presented at the American Physiology Summit , discovered that short bursts of physical activity increase the production of natural killer (NK) cells, which are a type of white blood cell that fight infected and cancerous cells in the body. The study is small, and experts say more research is needed.

 

Physical Activity Reduces Stress and Lowers Cardiovascular Disease Risk: According to researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, physical activity appears to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. They say this may occur because physical activity can reduce stress-related signaling within the brain. The study, which was published in the April 2024 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, might also explain why those with depression — which is known to be related to stress — experienced the greatest cardiovascular benefits.

 

Exercise at This Time of Day Is Best for People Living with Obesity, Overweight: According to a study published on April 10, 2024, in the journal Diabetes Care, if you’re goal is to get in better shape, evening exercise may be the most beneficial to your health. How often you engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity in the evening seems to matter, too.  In fact, researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia, say it may be more important than how much exercise you get throughout the day. After they analyzed the data, the team found that those who did moderate to vigorous activities in the evening — from 6 p.m. to midnight — had the lowest risk of premature death. They were also less likely to die from cardiovascular disease (conditions like heart attack, heart failure, and stroke) or microvascular disease (a condition where the small arteries of the heart are not functioning properly). When it came to the frequency of aerobic exercise bouts, they found that this seemed to be more important than the total amount of physical activity people did throughout the day.

 

Diet/Nutrition

8-Hour Time-Restricted Eating May Greatly Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Death: According to researchTrusted Source presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention │ Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Scientific Sessions 2024Trusted Source, held from March 18-21 in Chicago, those who ate within an 8-hour window and fasted the rest of the time had a 91% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The study further found that those with heart disease or cancer also had an increased risk. Also, restricting eating to less than 8 hours per day did not lead to a longer lifespan. These findings were in comparison with people who ate between 12-16 hours each day. They also found that people with existing cardiovascular disease who had an eating window of between 8 to 10 hours had a 66% higher risk of dying from either stroke or heart disease. However, eating for less than 16 hours per day was linked with a lower risk of dying from cancer in those who had the disease. The study authors stated in a press release that they were “surprised” by their findings since TRE has shown short-term cardiometabolic benefits.

 

MIND diet linked to slower aging and lower dementia risk: Adherence to a MIND diet is associated with a lower incidence of dementia and mortality in a new study.

The MIND diet is based on the Mediterranean and DASH diets, and emphasizes plant-based foods, fish and poultry, with little in the way of saturated fats and sugars.  Annals of Neurology

 

Ginger, Cinnamon, Cumin Improve Glycemic Control: The spices and aromatic herbs of the Mediterranean diet with significant benefits in improving glycemic health in type 2 diabetes are limited to ginger, cinnamon, and black cumin, turmeric, and saffron, with ginger, black cumin, and cinnamon having the strongest effects on fasting glucose, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of research. The meta-analysis also evaluated clove, thyme, turmeric, and various other spices and herbs common in the diet but showed no other correlations with glycemic benefits. The study was published on March 7, 2024, in Nutrients

 

Eating 12 Eggs a Week Didn’t Raise Cholesterol Levels, New Study Finds: A new study suggests that, yes, moderate consumption of eggs may be good for your heart. However, experts caution that people with existing heart disease or diabetes should talk to their doctor about what will work specifically for them. In the preliminary study, researchers found that people who ate 12 fortified eggs per week had similar cholesterol levels after four months compared to those who ate fewer than two eggs of any kind per week. The study, which will be presented April 6 at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session, involved 140 people 50 years of age or older who had cardiovascular disease or were at high risk for it. 

 

An avocado a day may improve diet quality, researchers suggest: A recent study from Penn State University analyzed the impact of a food-based intervention — daily avocado intake — on diet quality and cardiometabolic risk. The findings, published in Current Developments in Nutrition, revealed that consuming one avocado daily for 26 weeks improved adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans among adults with abdominal obesity. However, the changes in diet quality did not directly influence cardiometabolic disease risk factors.

 

Lack of fiber may be a trigger for inflammatory bowel disease: Irritable bowel disorder (IBD), which affects around 3 million people in the U.S., is often treated with a low fiber or fiber-free diet during symptom flare-ups. A new study suggests that fiber actually plays a significant role in reducing IBD due to its influence on healthy gut bacteria.  Cell Host & MicrobeTrusted Source, 

 

Stevia and Other Non-Sugar Sweeteners May Not Increase Appetite Levels: A new studyTrusted Source suggests that replacing sugar with sweeteners does not cause an increase in appetite – contrary to previous studies of lower quality.  The researchers studied 53 healthy adults as the latest study to be published by the SWEET consortium of 29 European research, consumer, and industry partners. The study was recently published in eBioMedcineTrusted Source.

 

Researchers Studied Four Diet Types, This Was the Best for Brain Health: A new study, published in Nature Mental HealthTrusted Source this month, examined the food-liking patterns and dietary preferences of more than 180,000 adults in the United Kingdom and broke those patterns into four categories: Starch-free or reduced starch; Vegetarian; High protein and low fiber; and Balanced. Those who followed the high-protein/low-fiber diet had lower gray matter volumes in a part of the brain called the postcentral gyrus, which coordinates how our body moves through the environment, than those who followed a balanced diet.  Additionally, the people who were vegetarian had higher gray matter volumes in part of the brain called the thalamus and precuneus. A balanced diet, which does not restrict specific foods, is associated with better mental health and cognitive function. But lifestyle choices, like sleep quality, exercise, and stress management, are also important factors to mental health and cognition.

 

Obesity and a high fat diet may accelerate brain aging, lead to cognitive decline: “Diet-induced obesity is known to trigger a range of systemic inflammatory responses that can have widespread effects on the body, including the cerebrovasculature. One primary reason obesity might induce senescence in the cerebrovasculature is due to the chronic inflammatory state it creates.”

 

A keto diet may help improve severe mental health, metabolic symptoms: Stanford Medicine’s pilot study had found that with standard medication and treatment, a 4-month ketogenic diet intervention may significantly improve symptoms and quality of life in people with severe mental illness and metabolic conditions. The study appears in Psychiatry Research.

 

Speedy Eating and Late-Night Meals May Take a Toll on Health: A growing body of evidence indicates that it's not just what and how much you eat that influence your health. How fast and when you eat also play a role. Research now indicates that these two factors may affect the risk for gastrointestinal problems, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Because meal timing and speed of consumption are modifiable, they present new opportunities to change patient behavior to help prevent and perhaps address these conditions. Medscape 

 

High Sugar Intake Tied to Increased Risk for Depression: Higher dietary intake of sugar is associated with an increase in depression, even after adjusting for potential confounders, results from a new study showed. The study was based on the data from 18,400 participants who completed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health and Nutrition Examination survey between 2011 and 2018.  published online on February 8, 2024, in BMC Psychiatry.

 

High-Seafood Diets May Increase Risk of Exposure to 'Forever Chemicals': A new study showed that people who eat seafood on a regular basis may have an increased risk of exposure to PFAS, toxins more commonly described as “forever chemicals” since they remain in the body indefinitely. Exposure to forever chemicals is linked to health issues such as cancer, fetal abnormalities, high cholesterol, and thyroid, liver, and reproductive disorders.  For the study, published April 12 in Exposure and Health, researchers combined a PFAS concentrations analysis of fresh seafood with a survey of eating habits in New Hampshire. According to national data, New Hampshire is the leading state in seafood consumption.

 

Swapping Salt with Substitutes May Lower Your Risk of Death from Heart Disease: A systematic review of 16 randomized controlled trials (lasting six months or longer) published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that using a salt substitute while cooking was linked with a lower risk of dying early from cardiovascular disease.  Salt substitution was also linked with a reduction in blood pressure and had an effect similar to that of blood pressure medications.  The trials compared the effects of common salt — also known as sodium chloride — and a salt substitute comprised of 25% to 30% potassium chloride and 60% to 75% sodium chloride.

 

Swapping Out Beef For Sardines Can Reduce Mortality Risk: Eating so-called “forage fish,” which include sardines, herring, and anchovies, could possibly save as many as 750,000 lives a year in 2050 and make a huge impact in the number of diet-related diseases and disabilities, a new analysis suggests. The research, published in BMJ Global Health this week, used datasets for 137 countries and replaced those populations’ red meat consumption with that of forage fish from marine habitats. Researchers predict that 8 to 15 million disability-adjusted life years could be saved by this dietary shift, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which have more abundant stocks of these fish and particularly high rates of heart disease.

 

Are plant-based meat substitutes really better for the heart than meat options? As plant-based meat substitutes gain popularity, researchers in Singapore have conducted a study comparing their effects on health to those of traditional meats, with a specific focus on heart health and diabetes risk. The research, involving 89 adults at risk for type 2 diabetes, found no significant heart health benefits of plant-based meat diets over those including animal meat, challenging the notion that these alternatives offer the same health advantages as whole plant-based diets.  Highlighting the nutritional differences between plant-based meat analogues and animal meats, the findings suggest a need for the food industry to develop nutritionally enhanced and environmentally sustainable plant-based meat substitutes.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 

 

Mediterranean diet tied to lower hypertension risk, 20 years' worth of data show: Researchers from Greece recently published a study evaluating people’s adherence to the Mediterranean diet over a 20-year period. They found that people who consistently followed a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of hypertension than those who did not.  European Journal of Clinical NutritionTrusted Source

 

Sleep

Not Getting Enough Sleep May Raise Hypertension Risk, Especially for Females: According to a study due to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session, which is being held in Atlanta from April 6-8, 2024, sleeping fewer than seven hours is linked to being at greater risk for high blood pressure. The researchers also found that the risk was even higher for people who slept fewer than five hours.

 

Over Half of Americans Aren't Getting Enough Sleep: New Gallup polling data suggests that Americans are in need of more sleep. The new data found that more than half of individuals surveyed or 57% said they would feel better if they got more sleep.  The last time Gallup conducted a similar poll was 2013, where the results were almost flipped with 56% feeling that they got enough sleep at that time. Gallup’s analysis found a correlation between stress levels and less sleep. The study authors reported that stress levels among Americans have been increasing steadily in recent decades. Stress levels have risen since 2003 when 33% of respondents saying they commonly experience stress in their daily lives to 49% in 2023.

 

Poor sleep linked to migraine attacks: A new study by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences identified a link between poor sleep and migraine attacks that suggests improving sleep health may diminish migraine attacks in people with migraine. Brain Communications 

 

 

Vitamins

Niacin and CV Risk: Should Advice on Intake Change? A recent study linking a niacin derivative to an increased risk for cardiovascular events has raised questions about the safety of this B vitamin, which is added to many food staples in the Western diet and taken in the form of supplements. The findings, which were published in Nature Medicine, may also help explain why taking niacin, which lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, did not lead to a reduction in cardiovascular events in major clinical trials. But could this essential micronutrient really have an adverse effect on cardiovascular risk, and what are the implications for niacin intake? Senior author of the new study Stanley Hazen, MD, believes some prudence on excessive niacin intake may be justified. "I'm not suggesting we should completely avoid niacin — it is an essential nutrient, but our results suggest that too much may be harmful," Hazen said. Niacin supplements are also sold with claims of antiaging effects, arthritis relief, and boosting brain function, although none of these claims have been proven. And the related compound, nicotinamide, is recommended to prevent skin cancer in high-risk patients; however, a recent study questioned that guidance. "I would say to the general public that avoiding supplements containing niacin or related compounds could be a sensible approach at present, while these findings are investigated further." Other experts are unsure if such action is justified on the basis of this single study.

 

How Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements Can Affect the Risk of Dying by Cancer and Heart Disease:Calcium and vitamin D supplements appear to lower the risk of dying from cancer, and, potentially, slightly increase the risk of dying from heart disease in postmenopausal women, new research suggests. The report is published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine,

 

Can probiotics plus vitamin D supplements benefit people with schizophrenia? New research published in Neuropsychopharmacology Reportsnow indicates that taking probiotics plus vitamin D supplements may improve cognitive function in individuals with the disease.

 

Other

Does the Internet Protect the Elderly From Cognitive Decline? The results of a large longitudinal study spanning several years support a decrease in the risk for dementia among older adults who regularly use the internet for < 2 hours per day.  Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies (though with relatively short follow-up periods) suggest that regular internet use helps maintain cognitive reserve, although some observers have voiced skepticism. This hypothesis is particularly relevant for older patients facing the potentially detrimental effects of brain aging. According to some studies, memory, cognitive performance, and verbal reasoning tend to be better preserved among internet users. Medscape 

 

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Higher for People Exposed to Tobacco Early in Life: According to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention│Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2024Trusted Source, March 18- 21, in Chicago, being exposed to tobacco while still in the mother’s womb was associated with the later development of type 2 diabetes as an adult.

 

New study warns that smoking does not help with weight loss: Smoking may increase fat in the abdomen, especially the kind found deep within the abdominal cavity. That’s according to researchTrusted Source published in the journal Addiction in which researchers report that starting smoking as well as a lifetime of smoking may increase visceral fat, an unhealthy fat that is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.

 

Higher BMI More CVD Protective in Older Adults With T2D? Among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) older than 65 years, a body mass index (BMI) in the moderate overweight category (26-28) appears to offer better protection from cardiovascular death than does a BMI in the "normal" range, new data suggested. On the other hand, the study findings also suggest that the "normal" range of 23-25 is optimal for middle-aged adults with T2D. The findings reflect a previously demonstrated phenomenon called the "obesity paradox," in which older people with overweight may have better outcomes than leaner people due to factors such as bone loss, frailty, and nutritional deficits. The data will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity taking place May 12-15 in Venice, Italy.  https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/higher-bmi-more-cvd-protective-older-adults-t2d-2024a10006h5

 

Here's How Often Low-Risk People Should Be Tested for Prostate Cancer: New research presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Paris this month, indicates that for low-risk men, a blood test once every five years is sufficient. The study will be published later this month in the journal European Urology.

 

E-Cigarettes Can Increase Heart Failure Risk by 19%: New research has found a possible connection between e-cigarette usage and heart failure.  Researchers harnessed data from the All of Us research program, funded by the National Institutes of Health, which is an effort to garner more insights into the health of Americans. This particular study included 175,667 people located in the U.S. of which 28,660 reported using e-cigarettes.

 

Chemicals stored in home garages linked to ALS risk: These included chemicals present in gasoline and gasoline powered equipment, lawn care products, pesticides, pain and woodworking supplies.  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration. 

 

Mentally stimulating jobs may reduce the risk of cognitive decline, dementia: Jobs that do not require as much mental engagement as other types of work are associated with higher rates of cognitive impairment after age 70, says a new study. The findings of this observational study do not necessarily imply that such jobs cause later cognitive issues. For people with occupations that do not require a high degree of mental engagement, there are other ways to strengthen cognitive reserve. Neurology,

 

TREATMENT

Anti-arrhythmic Drugs Linked to Bradycardia in Patients With AF: A new study has highlighted the risks for syncope and bradycardia as potential side effects with anti-arrhythmic drugs when used for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Researchers analyzed data on 674,303 patients with new-onset AF from Korean National Health Insurance Services and found more than a threefold increased risk for syncope and pacemaker implantation in patients who were prescribed anti-arrhythmic drugs compared with those who were not prescribed such drugs, an observation which remained in a propensity-matched subgroup. The risk appeared to be greater in older patients and women. The study is published in the March 19 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

 

Levodopa infusion better than pills at reducing Parkinson’s symptoms: One of the main drugs offered to people with Parkinson’s disease is levodopa, which helps with symptoms affecting movement.  A global team of researchers have now shown that the efficacy of the drug can be improved by being administered continuously via a pump, rather than orally, which is how it is usually taken.  The Lancet Neurology.

 

Statins Tied to Lower Mortality, Even With Comorbid Dementia: Use of statin drugs was associated with improved mortality in older nursing home residents, regardless of dementia status, a new study showed. The study is among the first to explore whether statin use in older nursing home residents offers a mortality benefit, especially among individuals with dementia, a group largely excluded from earlier statin trials.  published online on February 27 in Neurology

 

Statins Tied to Lower Stroke Risk in Atrial Fibrillation: Among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), initiation of statins soon after diagnosis was protective against stroke and related vascular events, and longer duration of use was associated with greater protection, a new cohort study shows. Statin use was associated with lower risks of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, hemorrhagic stroke, and transient ischemic attack (TIA), regardless of whether patients were also taking anticoagulant medications. European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) 2023 

 

ACC/AHA Issue Updated Atrial Fibrillation Guideline: The 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation was published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Circulation. The new proposed classification, using four stages, recognizes AF as a disease continuum that requires a variety of strategies at different stages, from prevention, lifestyle and risk factor modification, screening, and therapy.

 

Mandibular Device Comparable to CPAP to Reduce BP in Hypertension, OSA: Use of a mandibular advancement device (MAD) proved non-inferior to guideline-recommended continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in a randomized trial. The investigator-initiated CRESCENT trial showed that at 6 months, the MAD group had a reduction of 2.5 mm Hg in 24-hour mean arterial blood pressure vs no change in the CPAP group, for a nonsignificant between-group difference of 1.6 mm Hg.  "These findings suggest that MAD could be considered an alternative to CPAP for optimizing blood pressure control in OSA patients with hypertension and high cardiovascular risk," the researchers conclude. The results were presented April 6 at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions 2024 and published online simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

 

Wegovy Can Help Reduce Heart Failure Symptoms Even When People Don't Lose as Much Weight: People with type 2 diabetes and a certain type of heart failure saw improvements in their symptoms and physical limitations after 1 year of semaglutide injections, new research shows. These benefits occurred even though this group of patients lost less weight than people without diabetes in a similar trial. New England Journal of Medicine.

 

Positive Results for Intranasal Oxytocin in Adults With Autism: Twice daily intranasal oxytocin has been associated with improved social functioning, quality of life, and overall symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), results of a small randomized control trial showed. Medscape https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/positive-results-intranasal-oxytocin-adults-autism-2024a10006pj

 

Recurrent UTI Patients Find Long-Term Ally in Oral Vaccine: Results from the first long-term follow-up study of an oral vaccine for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) suggest that it “could be a gamechanger for UTI prevention. The vaccine, called Uromune, was developed by Immunotek S.L. in Spain. It is composed of inactivated whole bacteria commonly associated with UTIs: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, and Enterococcus Faecalis. It is administered by two sprays of a pineapple flavoured suspension under the tongue every day for 3 months. The vaccine has been used, largely off-licence, in some countries for several years.  European Association of Urology Congress

 

Study Finds Beta Blockers May not Help After Heart Attack: A Swedish study published this month in The New England Journal of Medicine found that some patients who had a heart attack experienced only minimal benefit from beta-blockers compared to those that did not.

 

Study Finds Teeth Cleaning Can Help Prevent AFib Recurrence: Having your teeth cleaned after undergoing a heart procedure for atrial fibrillation (AFib) may help prevent the condition from recurring, a new study has found. The reportTrusted Source, published April 10 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that treating gum disease could improve the prognosis of AFib, a condition that causes an irregular heart rhythm. Though the American Heart Association (AHA) does not list gum diseases as a modifiable risk factor for AFib, growing evidence shows that periodontitis, a gum infection that damages the tissues around the teeth, is closely linked to many other systemic diseases, including coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

 

This Minimally Invasive Weight-Loss Surgery is Cheaper, as Effective as Wegovy: A minimally invasive weight-loss procedure known as endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is more cost-effective than weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide) after 5 years, a new study shows. This is due to ESG leading to more weight loss, the greater ease of having a one-time procedure versus weekly medication injections, and the current high cost of Wegovy and similar drugs, researchers found. The study was published Apr. 12 in JAMA Network OpenTrusted Source.

 

GLP-1 Drugs Like Wegovy and Ozempic Unlikely to Increase Thyroid Cancer Risk: While they have not been recommended for use in those with a personal or family history of either medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia a new studyTrusted Source published on April 10, 2024, in BMJ indicates these concerns may be unfounded. According to this study, treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists was not linked with any substantial increase in risk for thyroid cancer in people who were followed up on average for 3.9 years.

 

Zepbound Weight Loss Drug May Help Relieve Sleep Apnea Symptoms: People with obesity experienced relief from obstructive sleep apnea — or episodes of stopped breathing during sleep — while taking anti-obesity drug Zepbound (tirzepatide), drugmaker Eli Lilly announced Apr. 17. The results come from two yearlong clinical trials of over 400 adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

 

Dietary treatment more effective than medicines in IBS: Dietary treatment is more effective than medications in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These are the findings of a study conducted at the University of Gothenburg. With dietary adjustments, more than seven out of ten patients had significantly reduced symptoms. Of those who received traditional IBS dietary advice and low content of FODMAPs, 76% had significantly reduced symptoms. In the group receiving low carbohydrates and high protein and fat, the proportion was 71%, and in the medication group 58%. All groups reported significantly better quality of life, less physical symptoms and less symptoms of anxiety and depression.  The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology 

 

OTHER

Fluctuations in BMI May Increase Risk of Heart Disease: People with body mass index measurements that fluctuate between high and low have higher risks of serious cardiovascular issues. Experts say the variations in body mass index can put additional strain on the heart and other organs. They add that regaining weight also tends to produce abdominal fat. They say that regular exercise and a healthy diet are two ways to maintain body weight at a healthy level. The findingsTrusted Source were published in JAMA Network Open: Cardiology.

 

Extreme Heat May Impair the Immune System, Increasing Inflammation: New research shows how exposure to hotter temperatures over a short duration could affect the immune system and drive inflammation.  These effects could make the body more vulnerable to infections and accelerate the development of cardiovascular disease. The research underscores the potential dangers of heat exposure as global temperatures continue to rise. The findings were presented during the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2024Trusted Source in Chicago March 18–21.

 

Household chemicals may increase risk of neurological conditions like autism, MS: The prevalence of neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions has increased over the past decade. Although some of this increase may be due to better diagnosis, experts suggest that environmental factors could play a part. A new study has found that some common environmental chemicals, found in personal-care and household products, damage vital brain cells called oligodendrocytes. The researchers suggest that this damage could help explain the rise in conditions such as autism-spectrum and attention-deficit disorders, as well as multiple sclerosis. Nature Trusted SourceNeuroscienceTrusted Source.

 

After Dobbs, Study Finds Sharp Increase in Permanent Sterilizations in Young People: New research shows an abrupt increase in permanent sterilizations among young adults following the Dobbs ruling, which ended a person’s constitutional right to an abortion. The data show twice as many females underwent tubal ligations as males who underwent vasectomies. Experts say fear and anxiety about unplanned pregnancies in states with abortion bans and restrictions could be driving the increase in permanent contraceptive measures. The national study, published today in a JAMA Health ForumTrusted Source research letter, is the first to evaluate the effects of the historic Dobbs v. Jackson ruling on permanent sterilization measures among young adults.

 

Heart Failure, Not Stroke, Is Most Common Complication of AFib, Study Finds: Heart failure twice as common as stroke for people with Afi. The study was published inThe BMJ, on April 17 and examined 3.5 million people in Denmark from 2000 to 2022 who had no history of atrial fibrillation at age 45 or older. Among people found to have atrial fibrillation, the lifetime risk of heart failure was 41% — twice the lifetime risk of stroke (21%) and four times that of heart attack.

 

Treating High Blood Pressure May Help Reduce The Risk of Developing Fibroids: A new studyTrusted Source, published in JAMA Network Open Tuesday, found that women who were newly diagnosed with hypertension in their 40s and 50s had a higher risk of uterine fibroids, which are benign tumors in the uterus. The risk of being diagnosed with a fibroid decreases with hypertension treatment, such as ACE inhibitors.  The report adds to growing evidence suggesting there’s a link between cardiovascular risk factors, like cholesterol levels, and uterine fibroids.