Journal Watch May 2024

Vaporized Cannabis for Acute Migraine Yields Rapid, Sustained Relief: Vaporized cannabis containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) may provide rapid and sustained relief of acute migraine pain with no serious side effects, new research suggests. "In this single center randomized controlled trial across 247 treated migraine attacks, 4 puffs of vaporized THC-CBD mix were efficacious for acute migraine treatment." American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2024 annual meeting. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/vaporized-cannabis-acute-migraine-yields-rapid-sustained-2024a10007

 

Tension, Other Headache Types Robustly Linked to Attempted, Completed Suicide: Headaches, including tension-type, migraine, and posttraumatic headache, are robustly associated with both attempted and completed suicide, results of a large study suggest.  The risk for suicide attempt was four times higher in people with trigeminal and autonomic cephalalgias (TAC), and the risk for completed suicide was double among those with posttraumatic headache compared with individuals with no headache. The retrospective analysis included data on more than 100,000 headache patients from a Danish registry.  Medscape Medical News 

 

Chronic Pain Linked to Accelerated Brain Aging: The consequences of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) may extend well beyond physical discomfort, potentially leading to faster aging of the brain, new research showed. 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.  The study was published online on March 26 in Nature Mental Health.

 

Antacids May Increase Your Risk of Migraine Attacks or Severe Headaches: People who take antacids may be at greater risk for migraine attacks and severe headaches, a new study using data from more than 11,000 people suggests.  The study, published in Neurology Clinical Practice, [EMBARGOED UNTIL 4PM EST], identified the potential link between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like esomeprazole (Nexium) and omeprazole (Prilosec), antacid supplements, and histamine H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) like famotidine (Pepcid AC) or cimetidine. The risk of migraine and severe headache, when compared with people who used no acid-suppression therapy, was 70% higher for those using PPIs, 40% higher for those using H2RAs, and 30% higher for those taking generic antacids. All drugs examined in the study were prescription only. The data did not look at most over-the-counter medications. Some of them were made available at nonprescription strength during the study, but those were not included.

 

Several Novel Injectables Show Early Promise in Knee Osteoarthritis: Encouraging primary or secondary analyses of trial data for the use of several novel injectables and gene therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA) were reported at the World Congress on Osteoarthritis (OARSI) 2024 Annual Meeting. Of all the approaches discussed during the News in Therapies session at OARSI 2024, the most intriguing was the use of the placental extract PTP-001 (MOTYS, Bioventus), Session Chair Nancy E. Lane, MD, from the University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, told Medscape Medical News. Other notable presentations of data from trials of investigational agents for knee OA included an update from the SPRINGBOARD phase 2B trial of EP-104IAR, a novel long-acting formulation of the corticosteroid fluticasone propionate; a phase 2 trial of pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), a non-opioid, semi-synthetic xylose-based polysaccharide; and an update on phase 2 study results for XT-150, a non-viral, plasmid-based gene therapy designed to express a proprietary variant of interleukin 10 (IL-10).

 

COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Cannabis and Nicotine Use During Pregnancy Tied to Higher Infant Death Risk: A new study found that using both cannabis and nicotine products during pregnancy was linked with a greater risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity compared with using just one substance. This included infant and neonatal death, infants small for gestational age, and preterm birth.  JAMA Network OpenTrusted Source

 

Depression Symptoms May be Treatable Using Psilocybin from Magic Mushrooms: A study has found that psilocybin appears to have antidepressant properties. Experts say it activates serotonin receptors. It might also work by increasing the brain’s neuroplasticity. Side effects are minimal, and it is regarded as non-addictive. studyTrusted Source published on May 1, 2024, in BMJ.

One dose of LSD-Based Medication Yields Rapid, Durable Response for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): A single oral administration of MM120 (lysergide d-tartrate), an investigational lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)–based medicine being developed by Mind Medicine Inc (MindMed), provided rapid and durable improvement in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a phase 2B study. At 12 weeks, 65% of patients treated with MM120 100 µg had a clinical response, defined as at least a 50% reduction in total scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale (HAM-A), and 48% achieved remission, defined as HAM-A total score ≤ 7.  American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2024 Annual Meeting. 

Three Conditions for Which Cannabis Appears to Help: The utility of cannabinoids to treat most medical conditions remains uncertain at best, but for at least three indications the data lean in favor of effectiveness, Ellie Grossman, MD, MPH, told attendees recently at the 2024 American College of Physicians Internal Medicine. Those are neuropathic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting, and spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis.

Meditation and Movement as Keys to Healthy Ageing: New evidence supporting the beneficial effects of mindfulness meditation and health education on older people experiencing memory decline has been provided by a team from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and the University of Caen Normandy, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Jena (Germany) and University College London. Their work has been published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.

 

Listening to mindfulness audios during radiation improves physical, emotional side effects: Men with prostate cancer who are treated with radiation therapy experience significant side effects such as fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety and depressive symptoms. But listening to mindfulness audio recordings significantly eased those symptoms, a new Northwestern Medicine study has found.  While reclining and receiving their daily 5-to-15-minute radiation treatment, men in the study listened to short (3-to-6 minute) audio-based mindfulness recordings that asked them to focus on their breath, posture, sounds and environment. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 

 

HKUMed reveals tai chi benefits for sleep quality in advanced lung cancer patients: The research has demonstrated remarkable potential of tai chi as a non-pharmacological intervention for improving survival in advanced lung cancer patients. It emphasises the importance of integrating physical activity, particularly tai chi, into the treatment plan to enhance the holistic well-being of this vulnerable population. The study was published in the highly prestigious journal, JAMA Oncology [link to the publication]. The research team conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effects of aerobic and mind-body exercises, two widely recognised forms of physical exercises, which differ in intensity and modality. The study showed significant enhancement in sleep quality among cancer patients experiencing poor sleep.1 However, the comparative effects of these exercises in patients with advanced lung cancer remain unclear. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: tai chi, aerobic exercise, or a self-management control group. The tai chi group attended classes twice a week for 16 weeks. The aerobic exercise group attended classes twice a month over the same 16-week period, engaging in activities such as treadmill walking, stationary bike riding, and resistance exercises. The results revealed that both the tai chi and aerobic exercise groups demonstrated a significant improvement in sleep quality, anxiety, depression, cardiorespiratory function, physical function, step count, and circadian rhythm at both week 16 and week 52 than the control group. Tai chi demonstrated superior benefits over aerobic exercise in terms of sleep quality, fatigue reduction, and balance. The study found a remarkable 65% lower risk of mortality in the tai chi group compared to the control group, suggesting that engaging in tai chi may potentially offer better survival for patients with advanced lung cancer.

 

Heart failure patients who do yoga have stronger hearts and can be more active: Yoga focused on breathing, meditation, and relaxation is linked with symptom improvement in patients with heart failure, according to research presented today at Heart Failure 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “Patients who practised yoga on top of taking their medications felt better, were able to do more, and had stronger hearts than those who only took drugs for their heart failure,” said study author Dr. Ajit Singh of the Indian Council of Medical Research. 

 

 

FDA ACTION

• Approved pivmecillinam tablets to treat women aged 18 years or older with urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by bacteria susceptible to the drug

• Approved Benralizumab for Asthma in children older than 6 years.

• Approved  two new self-tests to detect HPV. These new tests would allow people to take their own sample to test for HPV, instead of having a physician perform a pelvic exam to take a sample.

• Accelerated approval to tarlatamab-dlle (Imdelltra, Amgen, Inc.) for extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. 

• accelerated approval to lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi, Juno Therapeutics, Inc.) for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received two or more prior lines of systemic therapy

 

PREVENTION

Exercise

Best Time for Exercise: Moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity performed in the evening is associated with the lowest risk for mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and microvascular disease (MVD) in adults with obesity, including those with type 2 diabetes (T2D).  published online in Diabetes Care.

 

Climbing Stairs May Improve Heart Health and Help You Live Longer: New research shows climbing stairs is linked to improved heart health and a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Experts recommend regular stair climbing for overall health, aiming for three to six flights of stairs daily. presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s Preventive Cardiology conference 

 

Randomized trial reveals anti-inflammatory power of aerobic exercise in adults with obesity—helping to mitigate risks of metabolic diseases: New research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy (12-15 May), reveals the anti-inflammatory power of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise in adults living with the low-grade inflammation of obesity, shedding light on its potential to help prevent multiple metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis (clogged arteries). 

 

Under 4-minute milers’ longevity shows that extreme exercise doesn’t seem to curb lifespan: Extreme exercise doesn’t seem to shorten the lifespan as is widely believed, suggest the findings of a study on the longevity of the first 200 athletes to run a mile in under 4 minutes, and published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. They outlive the general population by several years, shows the study, which marks the 70th anniversary of the seminal achievement of Roger Bannister, who was the first person to run a mile in under 4 minutes in May 1954. 

Feeling blue, moving less? Or, moving more and feeling better? It could go both ways: New research from the University of Toronto finds that adults reporting more depression symptoms in the past week are less likely to report physical activity in the same period, and this relationship generally goes both ways: being more active is also linked to better mental health. Published in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, the study contributes to better understanding how depression symptoms and physical activity are connected and mutually affect each other during adulthood.

 

Childhood sedentariness linked to premature heart damage – light physical activity reversed the risk: An increase in sedentary time from childhood caused progressing heart enlargement, a new study shows. However, light physical activity could reduce the risk. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 

 

Stay active – or get active – to boost quality of life while aging, study suggests to middle-aged women: Consistent adherence to physical activity guidelines throughout middle-age is associated with a higher health-related quality of life in women, according to a new study publishing May 2nd in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine 

 

Diet/Nutrition

Can Short Cycles of a Fasting-Like Diet Reduce Disease Risk? Monthly cycles of a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) may slow metabolic and immune system aging and reduce the risk for metabolic disease. In two clinical trials, monthly 5-day cycles of an FMD (a proprietary line of plant-based, low-calorie, and low-protein food products) showed lower body weight, body fat, and blood pressure at 3 months. published in Nature Communications.

 

Metabolite in Red Meat Increases Kidney Disease Risk: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a gut microbiota-derived metabolite generated by metabolism of dietary L-carnitine, primarily from red meat, and choline, from a variety of animal source foods. TMAO has been shown to cause kidney injury and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in experimental models. In this study, TMAO was independently associated with higher risks for incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) and faster kidney function decline in humans. published online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

 

Eating Avocado May Lower Diabetes Risk, Especially for Females: A cross-sectional study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics investigated the relationship between avocado consumption and diabetes in adults. This study examined a large sample of more than 28,000 adults of varying ages included in the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey. The researchers found that compared to those who did not consume avocados, avocado-consuming females showed a lower risk of diabetes.  Females who ate avocados (30-38 grams/day) had significantly lower odds of diabetes, even after adjusting for various factors such as age, education level, body weight, physical activity, and more.

 

Only 2% of TikTok Diet and Nutrition Trends Are Accurate: The fact that fad diets and nutrition advice are widely shared on social media platforms like TikTok is not new news.  However, a new survey conducted by MyFitnessPal and Dublin City University suggests the majority of diet and nutrition trends on TikTok are not aligned with public health and nutrition guidelines. Even more concerning is that of the 2,000 Millennial and Gen-Z TikTok users surveyed, 57% of respondents said they had been influenced by or frequently tried nutrition trends they saw on the platform.

 

Consuming Olive Oil Linked to Lower Risk of Dementia-Related Death: Olive oil consumption was shown to be associated with a lower risk of death from dementia-related causes, a new study found. The study, published by JAMATrusted Source, examined data from 1990 to 2018 and assessed olive oil consumption. The study tracked 92,383 people and found consumption of at least 7 grams a day of olive oil was associated with a 28% lower risk of death from dementia-related causes.

 

Ancient Grains Like Oats and Millet Can Help People with Type 2 Diabetes Improve Heart Health: A new meta-analysis found that ancient grains (oats, brown rice, and millet) can improve health outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes. The findings were published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseasesthis week. The review included 29 randomized controlled trials and 13 were meta-analyzed.  Results showed for those with type 2 diabetes, oat consumption could improve cholesterol levels. However, further research is needed to learn more about the relationship between ancient grains and diabetes.

 

Can Ultra-Processed Foods Increase Mortality Risk? Consumption of ultra-processed foods like ready-to-eat meat, poultry, and seafood products, sugary drinks like sodas, dairy-based desserts, and processed breakfast cereals or other foods, may be linked to a slightly higher risk of early death, a new study found. The study, published in The BMJTrusted Source on May 8, examined data from two surveys that both spanned more than 30 years: 74,563 female registered nurses from 11 states in the U.S. who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study from 1984 to 2018, and 39,501 male health professionals from every state who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1986 to 2018. The participants had no history of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes when the studies started, and they submitted information about lifestyles and health every two years and diet information every four years. Participants’ consumption of ultra-processed food was divided into quarters. Compared to those in the lowest quarter, those in the highest quarter, with a median intake of about 7 daily servings, had a 4% higher risk of death from any cause. They also had a 9% higher risk of death from causes other than cardiovascular disease or cancer, including an 8% higher risk of death related to neurodegenerative diseases.

 

Prostate cancer study: More health benefits from plant-based diet: Men with prostate cancer could significantly reduce the chances of the disease worsening by eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and olive oil, according to new research. A study of more than 2,000 men with localized prostate cancer found that eating a primarily plant-based diet was associated with a 47% lower risk that their cancer would progress, compared with those who consumed the most animal products. JAMA Network Open 

 

Eating a Plant-Based Diet Can Lower Your Risk of Cancer and Heart Disease: A new scientific literature review has found that vegetarian and vegan diets help improve cardiometabolic risk factors, such as elevated lipids, blood sugar, body weight, BMI, and inflammation. The individuals studied also had a lower risk of ischemic heart disease and gastrointestinal and prostate cancers. The authors of the studyTrusted Source, which was published on May 15, 2024, in the journal PLOS ONE, further stated that people who ate vegetarian diets were at reduced risk for dying from cardiovascular disease.

 

Ketogenic diet may help lower stress and boost mental health, researchers say:  Findings, published in Nutrition, suggest that following a ketogenic diet may be linked with better mental and emotional health in the general population, with benefits increasing over time.

 

Sleep

Consistently Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Can Lower Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A new study found that older adults who maintained good sleep quality over a five-year period had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, even people with good sleep quality only at one point in the study had a lower cardiovascular risk compared to those with ongoing poor sleep quality. JAMA Network OpenTrusted Source.

 

Researchers show impact of insomnia and depression on asthma control: Researchers at National Jewish Health have shown that underlying mood and sleep disorders negatively impact asthma control. Data reveal a considerable interaction between insomnia, depression and obstructive sleep apnea in people with asthma. The study was recently published in the Journal of Asthma.

 

Children sleep problems associated with psychosis in young adults: Children who experience chronic lack of sleep from infancy may be at increased risk of developing psychosis in early adulthood, new research shows.  JAMA Psychiatry 

Sleep apnea patients can breathe easy about CPAP therapy, study finds: A new comprehensive evaluation of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea has found no adverse impact from its use in any part of the respiratory system. “Airway stability in sleep apnea: Assessing continuous positive airway pressure efficiency”

 

Low oxygen during sleep and sleep apnea linked to epilepsy in older adults: Sleep apnea and low oxygen levels while sleeping are associated with epilepsy that first occurs after 60 years of age, known as late-onset epilepsy, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in Sleep. The link was independent of other known risk factors for late-onset epilepsy and sleep apnea including hypertension and stroke. The findings may help to better understand the relationship between sleep disorders and late-onset epilepsy, as well as identify potential targets for treatment. 

 

 

Vitamins

Creatine improves cognitive performance during sleep deprivation: Creatine is a popular dietary supplement in the sports community that is used to improve physical performance. Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich have now discovered in a scientific study that a high single dose of creatine can temporarily improve cognitive performance that is reduced by sleep deprivation. The study findings were published in Scientific Reports. Excessive intake of Creatine is not recommended. 

 

Other

Aspirin May Boost Your Immune System, Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk: Studies have shownTrusted Source that taking aspirin may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Additionally, other studies suggestTrusted Source that aspirin use may also improve colorectal cancer outlook. One thing that remains unclear, however, is just how aspirin protects against colorectal cancer. The main protective mechanisms are thought to be the inhibition of the enzymes that maintain proinflammatory signals, such as prostaglandin‐endoperoxide synthase 1 (COX-1) and prostaglandin‐endoperoxide synthase 2 (COX-2). But, there are several other interrelated mechanisms that have not yet been elucidated. According to new research published on April 22, 2024, in the journal Cancer, one of these mechanisms may be that it enhances certain aspects of the immune system.

 

Time-Restricted Eating and High Intensity Exercise Together More Effective for Weight Loss: A new studyTrusted Source has found that time-restricted eating and high intensity exercise can work together to improve health and help people achieve fat loss.  Time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, involves limiting the hours for eating to a specific number of hours each day.  The research published in the PLOS ONE Journal found that, when combined, time-restricted eating and high intensity exercise could contribute to weight loss and improve markers of cardiometabolic health, including cholesterol, blood glucose, and lipid levels.

 

New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines for Women 40 to 74: The USPSTF has finalized its breast cancer screening guidance. It has lowered the age for screening to the age of 40. Screening above the age of 75 is not recommended due to insufficient evidence. There is not enough evidence to make recommendations for those with dense breasts. The panel states that more work is needed to address racial disparities in outcomes. According to the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), the number of breast cancer deaths has been declining over the past 20 years. The report further reveals that most breast cancer cases occur in women aged 55 to 74, but the highest incidence is in women aged 70 to 74. It remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths for American women. Guidance issued by the USPSTF 

 

Does 'Brain Training' Really Improve Cognition and Forestall Cognitive Decline? In a commentary on Medscape Medical News, neuroscientist Michael Merzenich, PhD, professor emeritus at University of California San Francisco, said that growing a person's cognitive reserve and actively managing brain health can play an important role in preventing or delaying Alzheimer's disease. Important components of this include brain training and physical exercise.

 

 

TREATMENT

Mechanical Thrombectomy Improves Outcomes for Pulmonary Hypertension: The use of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) was associated with reduced major adverse events in the short term and improved quality of life in the long term for pulmonary embolism (PE) patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), based on data from 99 individuals. ociety for Interventional Radiology 

 

Ozempic Breasts’ Side Effect Reported by People Taking Weight Loss Drugs: Like “Ozempic face” and “Ozempic butt,” “Ozempic breasts” is the latest term gaining popularity as a way to describe a loss in volume and decrease in skin elasticity that people often experience while taking GLP-1 drugs, which can lead to a change in shape and appearance in specific parts of the body. The most common symptoms include loss of volume, sagging, and tenderness.

 

Hormone Therapy for Menopause Doesn't Reduce Heart Disease Risk: New research has found that hormone therapy doesn’t appear to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.  Around the start of the study, in 1993, multiple observational studies had suggested that postmenopausal women who took hormone therapy had lower risks of developing coronary heart disease. The studyTrusted Source, published in JAMA, adds to growing evidence suggesting that hormone replacement therapy is, contrary to previous beliefs, not useful in preventing heart disease in postmenopausal women.

 

Novel Agent Curbs Alzheimer's-Related Agitation: Treatment with AXS-05, a combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion, demonstrated rapid, sustained, and clinically meaningful improvement in agitation related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and was generally well tolerated in the phase 3 ACCORD trial. American Academy of Neurology 2024 Annual Meeting. 

 

OTC Gel Delivers Erection in 10 Mins: Up to 60% of men with erectile dysfunction who were not candidates for phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors achieved erections in less than 10 minutes after a single application of a first-on-the-market nonprescription gel to the glans, a study of MED3000 [Eroxon]found. A spokesman for Futura, which makes MED3000, said that the gel will be on the market 2025. No price for the United States has been announced, but a four-pack of single-use tubes sells for the equivalent of roughly $31 in the United Kingdom.

 

People Taking Wegovy Continue to Maintain Weight Loss 4 Years Later: People receiving weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide) sustained weight loss for up to four years, shedding an average of 10% of their body weight during that time, a new study found. This is the longest clinical trial to date of this drug, which belongs to a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. The study, known as the SELECT trial, included over 17,000 adults who had obesity or overweight but did not have diabetes. People stayed on the medicine throughout the clinical trial. The findings also suggest that there are heart health benefits in addition to those related to weight loss. The study was published May 13 in Nature MedicineTrusted Source.

 

OTHER

Heart Failure, Not Stroke, Most Common Complication of A-Fib: The lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) increased from 2000 to 2022 from one in four to one in three, a Danish population-based study of temporal trends found. Heart failure was the most frequent complication linked to this arrhythmia, with a lifetime risk of two in five, twice that of stroke. Published in BMJ, the study found the lifetime risks of post-AF stroke, ischemic stroke, and myocardial infarction improved only modestly over time and remained high, with virtually no improvement in the lifetime risk of heart failure.

 

Essential Tremor Tied to a Threefold Increased Risk for Dementia: People with essential tremor (ET) have nearly three times increased risk of developing dementia compared with the general population, new research showed. In a prospective, longitudinal study, incidence of dementia was nearly 20% among older adults with ET. However, the rates were lower than those in adults with Parkinson's disease. American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2024 Annual Meeting on April 17, 2024. 

 

Sleep Apnea Hard on the Brain: Symptoms of sleep apnea, including snorting, gasping, or paused breathing during sleep, are associated with a significantly greater risk for problems with cognitive and memory problems, results from a large study showed. Data from a representative sample of US adults show that those who reported sleep apnea symptoms were about 50% more likely to also report cognitive issues vs their counterparts without such symptoms. American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2024 Annual Meeting on April 17, 2024. 

 

AFib May be More Common in People Under 65 Than Previously Thought: A new study suggests that atrial fibrillation (AFib) may be more common in people under 65 than shown by previous research. Younger people with AFib also had an increased risk of dying or hospitalization compared to similarly-aged people without AFib. Experts say it is not clear if AFib is increasing among younger people or if doctors are detecting it more often. It may be both.  Circulation: Arrhythmia and ElectrophysiologyTrusted Source

 

New Urine Test for Prostate Cancer May Help Reduce Unnecessary Biopsies: Researchers have identified 17 unique genetic markers that are overexpressed by high-grade prostate cancers, which can be screened for accurately using a urine test. Experts say the test can help doctors identify serious cancers while also reducing unnecessary biopsies.  Prostate cancers are graded according to a Gleason score. Trusted SourceThe higher the grade the more likely the cancer will spread quickly and grow. This new test could potentially help with diagnosing and treating cancer earlier and with fewer invasive measures.  JAMA OncologyTrusted Source, 

 

Nearly 90% of Adults in U.S. Have Syndrome That Can Lead to Heart Disease: A new study has revealed that roughly 90% of Americans may have cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. The risks are greatest among older adults, men, and Black individuals, the reportTrusted Source, which was published in JAMA  found. The American Heart Association (AHA) introduced a new staging systemTrusted Source in 2023 — called CKM syndrome — to better treat and manage cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic diseases, since they are deeply connected and often require a multidisciplinary approach. Risk factors can include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and excess body fat.

 

Men With Higher Levels of Testosterone More Likely to Develop AFib, Study Finds: Healthy, older men with higher concentrations of testosterone were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation, according to a new study. The findings follow a landmark 2023 trial that found that men using testosterone-replacement therapy had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation. Maintaining testosterone in a healthy, normal range appears to mitigate atrial fibrillation risk. The findings were published April 29 in The LancetTrusted Source, 

 

Social-media break has huge impact on young women’s body image: There’s a large and growing body of evidence pointing to potentially negative impacts of social media on mental health, from its addictive nature to disruptions in sleep patterns to effects on body image. Now, a new study coming out of York University’s Faculty of Health found young women who took a social media break for as little as one week had a significant boost in self-esteem and body image – particularly those most vulnerable to thin-ideal internalization.

 

Low Testosterone in Men Linked with Higher Risk of Death: In fact, a new systematic review and meta-analysis published online on May 13, 2024, in Annals of Internal Medicine reports that having low levels of testosterone might affect men’s risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as their risk for death. Specifically, those with low baseline serum testosterone had an increased risk of dying from any cause. Those with very low baseline levels additionally had an increased risk of dying from CVD.