COVID
3rd Dose for Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised: Anyone who is
moderately or severely immunocompromised, and has received the Pfizer or
Moderna Covid vaccine, should receive a third dose. Those qualifying for this
shot, distribution which begins the latter part of this week in many states,
will need to meet one of the following criteria: Receiving active cancer
treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood; organ transplant recipient and
taking meds to suppress immune system; received a stem cell transplant in the
last two years; taking medications to suppress immune function; moderate or
severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge Syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich
syndrome; advanced or untreated HIV infection; active treatment with high dose
corticosteroids. If you are unsure if you qualify, contact your medical
provider.
The US Dept.
of Health and Human Services have rolled out a plan for a third dose of the
Modern/Pfizer Vaccines: On
Wed., HHS stated, "Based on our latest assessment, the current protection
against severe disease, hospitalization, and death could diminish in the months
ahead, especially among those who are at higher risk or were vaccinated during
the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout.” Pending FDA and CDC's Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the roll out will begin the week of
Sept. 20. The booster should be scheduled 8 months after the second dose. If
your second dose was March 22, the third dose should be given around Nov. 22.
Why People
Being Treated for Cancer Really Need a Second COVID-19 Vaccine Dose: A study released from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS)
shows that while the vaccines are safe, about 1 in 4 people with blood cancer
fail to produce detectable antibodies after vaccination. Meanwhile, another new
studyTrusted Source from Israel cancer researchers
published in JAMA Oncology shows that people with solid tumor cancer in active
treatment had a “pronounced lag” in antibody production after receiving the
first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. But the rate increased substantially
after receiving the second dose
Pfizer
Vaccine Protection Wanes After 6 Months: Study: The July 28 preprint
report of the study, which has not been peer reviewed, suggests a gradual
"declining trend in vaccine efficacy" over 6 months after a two-dose
regimen of the Pfizer vaccine. The study included more than 45,000 people
worldwide. The study found that overall effectiveness fell from 96% to 84%. A
third booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine increases neutralizing antibody levels
against the Delta variant by more than five times compared to levels after a
second dose in people aged 18 to 55 years, new data from Pfizer show. The
immune response to the third dose appears even more robust ― more than 11 times
higher than the response to second shot ― among people aged 65 to 85 years.
Third Pfizer
Dose 86% Effective in Over 60s:
A third dose of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 86%
effective in people aged over 60, an Israeli healthcare provider reported,
citing initial results from a study of thousands of members.
Atypical
COVID Symptoms Common in Older Adults:
New research provides more evidence that older adults with COVID-19 often
present with atypical symptoms, including functional decline and altered mental
status, and pinpoints demographic and clinical factors associated with atypical
presentation. Those most at risk are adults age 75 and older, women, Blacks and
non-Hispanics, those with a higher comorbidity index and those who have
dementia and/or diabetes, according to the Journal of Gerontology report.
CDC Calls
for Masks in Schools, Hard-Hit Areas, Even if Vaccinated: The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) once again is recommending that some Americans wear masks
indoors. The agency called for masks in K-12 school settings and in areas of
the United States experiencing high or substantial SARS-CoV-2 transmission,
even for the fully vaccinated. The move reverses a controversial announcement
the agency made in May 2021 that fully vaccinated Americans could skip wearing a mask in
most settings. The Delta variant as well as new evidence
of transmission from breakthrough cases are largely driving these
changes. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/955488
Risks of the
Delta Variant for Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated People: A
new CDC reportTrusted Source shows that since July 26, there have
been only 6,587 reports of breakthrough infections that resulted in
hospitalization or death among 163 million fully vaccinated people — a
percentage of 0.01 percent or less.
Massachusetts
outbreak demonstrates Delta variant's transmissibility: A series of large public events in a
Massachusetts town in July 2021 has been linked to 469 new COVID-19 cases.
Three-quarters of these cases were in fully vaccinated people. The vast
majority of infections were with the Delta variant of the virus. Fully vaccinated individuals who contracted
the virus appeared to be just as infectious as those who had not been fully
vaccinated. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
now recommend wearing masks in indoor public settings in areas with substantial
or high transmission. CDCTrusted Source
Breakthrough COVID-19 More Likely Months After Vaccination: People who received their second dose
of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine five or more months ago are more likely to test
positive for COVID-19 than people who were fully vaccinated less than five
months ago, new data suggest. Researchers at an Israeli HMO studied nearly
34,000 fully vaccinated adults who were tested to see if they had a
breakthrough case of COVID-19. Overall, 1.8% tested positive. Among patients
older than 60, the odds of a positive test were almost three times higher when
at least 146 days had passed since the second dose. Very few patients had
required hospitalization. medRxiv
Vaccination
May Cut Risk of COVID Reinfection in Half: A new
study published today in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
shows people who have recovered from COVID-19 but haven't been vaccinated have
more than double the risk of testing positive for the virus again, compared
with someone who was vaccinated after an initial infection. They found that
those who were unvaccinated had more than double the risk of being reinfected
during the Delta wave. Partial vaccination appeared to have no significant
impact on the risk of reinfection Among those who were reinfected, 20% were fully
vaccinated, while 34% of those who did not get reinfected were fully
vaccinated.
Injectable
Monoclonal Antibodies Prevent COVID-19 in Trial: A combination of two monoclonal
antibodies given as a subcutaneous injection prevented COVID-19 in patients at
a high risk of infection due to household exposure, according to results of a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial published online
August 4 in the New England Journal
of Medicine.
Moderna
Says Boosters May be Needed after 6 months: Moderna says neutralizing antibodies generated by its
COVID-19 vaccine against three variants of the virus that causes the disease
waned substantially 6 months after the second dose. The new
data was presented in an earnings call to investors and is based on a small
study that hasn't yet been published in medical literature.
Delta Won’t
Be the Last Variant:
How Will the Coronivirus Evolve New from
the New Yorker
World-first
COVID vaccine booster randomized clinical trial in transplant patients proves
third shot is very effective.
New England Journal of Medicine.
US Pediatric
Hospitals in Peril as Delta Hits Children: Over the course of the pandemic, COVID-19 has been a less
serious illness for children than it has been for adults, and that continues to
be true. But with the arrival of Delta, the risk for kids is rising, and
that's creating a perilous situation for hospitals across the United States
that treat them. Roughly 1800 kids were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the
United States last week, a 500% increase in the rate of COVID-19
hospitalizations for children since early July, according
to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Youngest
Kids More Likely to Spread SARS-CoV-2 to Family: Young children are more likely than
their older siblings to transmit SARS-CoV-2 in their households, according to
an analysis of public health records in Ontario, Canada – a finding that upends
the common belief that children play a minimal role in Covid-19 spread. The
study by researchers from Public Health Ontario, published
online in JAMA Pediatrics, found
that teenagers (14- to 17-year-olds) were more likely than their younger
siblings to bring the virus into the household, while infants and toddlers (up
to age 3) were about 43% more likely than the older teens to spread it to
others in the home.
As Vaccines
Wane, Immune System Still Has Weapons Against Delta: More recent studies — but not all —
show waning effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection,
especially with high levels of the Delta variant going around. At the same
time, the vaccines continue to offer robust protection against severe COVID-19
outcomes. Medscape
Tachycardia
Syndrome May Be a Distinct Marker for Long COVID: Tachycardia is commonly reported in
patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), also known as long COVID,
authors report in a new article. The researchers say tachycardia syndrome
should be considered a distinct phenotype. The study was published
online August 11 in The American Journal of Medicine.
Lambda Variant Shows Vaccine Resistance:
The Lambda variant of the coronavirus, first identified in Peru and now
spreading in South America, is highly infectious and more resistant to vaccines
than the original version of the virus the emerged from Wuhan, China, Japanese
researchers have found. bioRxiv,
COVID-19 an
Independent Driver for Heart Attack and Stroke: The risk for acute MI and ischemic
stroke increased by roughly eightfold and sixfold, respectively, in the first
week following onset of COVID-19 when day 0 (exposure day) was included in the
analysis. Even when day 0 was excluded (reducing the risk for bias), the risk
for acute MI and stroke was increased by roughly threefold. The study was published
online July 29 in The
Lancet.
Here’s How
Well COVID-19 Vaccines Work Against the Delta Variant: Data so far suggests efficacy rates of
more than 67 percent for the J&J vaccine, 72 to 95 percent for the Moderna
vaccine, and 42 to 96 percent for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Healthline
COVID-19, Alzheimer’sDisease, and Memory Loss:
What We Know: Researchers are learning more about how COVID-19 may impact
memory. In one study, 1 in 10 patients
have been reporting memory problems after mild cases of COVID-19 that did not
require hospitalization, even 8 months after disease. People who have recovered
from COVID-19 but presented with cognitive decline are more likely to be in
poorer physical health and have low O2 saturation in their blood. COVID-19 may
heighten the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and COVID-19 can cause an increase
in blood-based molecular biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. Healthline
No
significant benefit of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 outpatients with early
symptoms, study shows The
final results of the Clinical Trial of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma in
Outpatients (C3PO) demonstrate that COVID-19 convalescent plasma did not
prevent disease progression in a high-risk group of outpatients with COVID-19,
when administered within the first week of their symptoms. The trial was
stopped in February 2021 due to lack of efficacy based on a planned interim
analysis. NEJM
Long-HaulCOVID-19 May Affect Two of Three With Mild, Moderate Disease: The majority of individuals who
experience mild or moderate COVID-19 infection have persistent symptoms more
than 30 days after diagnosis, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in PLOS ONE. The researchers
found that the prevalence of PASC at 30 days postinfection was 68.7 percent.
The median number of symptoms was three, with the most commonly reported
symptoms including fatigue (37.5 percent), shortness of breath (37.5 percent),
brain fog (30.8 percent), and stress/anxiety (30.8 percent). Among a subset of
157 participants with follow-up ≥60 days, PASC prevalence was 77.1 percent.
PAIN
'Where does
it hurt?' predicts chronic pain outcomes, study shows: Pain distribution as reported on a body
map, on its own, can be used to assign patients to distinct subgroups that are
associated with differences in pain intensity, pain quality, pain impact and
clinically-relevant three-month outcomes, according to a new study. PLOS ONE
Reducing
opioids for pain patients linked to higher rates of overdose and mental health
crisis: A new study
found a 68% increase in overdose events and a doubling of mental health crises
among patients who were on stable opioid therapy but had their doses
tapered. JAMA
Widespread
pain linked to heightened dementia and stroke risk: Widespread pain is linked to a
heightened risk of all types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and
stroke, finds research published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia
& Pain Medicine. And this association is independent of potentially
influential factors, such as age, general health, and lifestyle, the findings
indicate.
A study
released in STEM CELLS
Translational Medicine has confirmed the safety of a novel type of
cellular therapy for knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.
New app helps relieve back pain:
Researchers tested new
app called selfBACK.
using a
randomized controlled trial that included 461 patients with back pain from
Norway and Denmark — and it works. JAMA Internal Medicine
Chronic pain
might impact how the brain processes emotions: A new study shows that people with
chronic pain have an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the part of the brain
responsible for regulating emotions. This imbalance could be making it harder
for them to keep negative emotions in check – and the researchers think
persistent pain might be triggering the chemical disruption.The findings were published in the European Journal of
Pain.
COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Alternative medicine is widespread among people with MS: A new
survey of more than 1,000 people with multiple sclerosis finds that an
overwhelming majority use complementary and alternative medicine, with many
using cannabis. 81% used dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals and
herbs, up from 65% in the same survey conducted almost two decades ago. 39%
used mind-body therapies such as mindfulness and massage, up from 14% in the
earlier survey. 81% used exercise to
help manage their symptoms - an increase from 67% in 2001. Multiple Sclerosis
and Related Disorders.
Second-hand marijuana smoke exposure associated with respiratory infections in children: Children whose parents regularly smoke
or vape marijuana may experience viral respiratory infections, such as the
common cold, more frequently than those whose parents do not smoke, according
to a new study. Pediatric Research
Having a
good listener improves your brain health: Researchers find having someone to listen to you when you
need to talk is associated with greater cognitive resilience. New study shows
social interaction in adulthood can stave off cognitive decline despite brain
aging. JAMA Network Open
Acupuncture
improves symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome compared
to sham treatment : A
multicenter randomized trial showed that 20 sessions of acupuncture over 8
weeks resulted in greater improvement in symptoms of moderate to severe chronic
prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) compared with sham therapy.
Treatment effects endured over 24 weeks follow up. The findings are published
in Annals of Internal Medicine
FDA ACTION
• Approved new indication for Xywav for
idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) in adults
• Approved
Nexviazyme (avalglucosidase alfa-ngpt) for intravenous infusion to treat
patients 1 year of age and older with late-onset Pompe disease.
• Approved
Semglee, the first interchangeable biosimilar insulin product, indicated to
improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with Type 1 diabetes
mellitus and in adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
PREVENTION:
Exercise
Want to
Increase Your Physical Activity? Fitness Trackers May Be the Best Way: Researchers
say people living with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity can increase their
physical activity levels by using fitness trackers. Trackers can provide
accountability and help people at all levels motivate themselves. Researchers
advise that trackers can provide accountability and help people at all levels
motivate themselves. Findings are from an analysisTrusted
Source published
in JAMA Network Open.
Sleep apnea:
Exercise and cutting TV time reduce risk: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that
affects 10–20% of the adult population in the United States. OSA is associated
with an increased risk of certain chronic diseases. A new study concludes that
being more active and spending less time watching television are linked to a
lower risk of developing OSA. European Respiratory JournalTrusted Source.
Combination
of muscle strengthening and aerobic exercises can reduce cancer mortality: Regular muscle strengthening exercises
associated with aerobic activities can reduce cancer mortality, according to a
systematic review of epidemiological studies. Workouts with squats, rowing,
planks, weight training and so on can reduce the probability of dying from
cancer by 14%. When these exercises are combined with aerobic activities, the
benefit is even greater, potentially reducing mortality by 28%. International
Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
People with
stroke who walk 30 minutes per day may have 54% lower risk of death : A new study shows that people who
walk or garden at least three to four hours per week, or bike at least two to
three hours per week, or the equivalent after having a stroke may have a 54%
lower risk of death from any cause. he study found the most benefit for younger
stroke survivors. When people under the age of 75 exercised at least that
amount, their risk of death was reduced by 80%. Neurology
Cancer
patients discharged from hospital sooner following preparation for surgery: The approach termed “prehabilitation”
includes exercise, nutrition and psychological and social interventions to
optimise both physical and mental health before surgery. Researchers found that
prehabilitation interventions of between one and four weeks reduced cancer
patients’ stay in hospital by 1.8 days compared with standard care. Annals of
Surgery
Physical
activity associated with better cognition in breast cancer patients: Moderate to vigorous exercise may be
important in addressing ‘chemo brain’
Regular
exercise, even in polluted areas, can lower risk of death: Regular exercise, even performed in
areas with air pollution, can reduce the risk of death from natural causes,
according to new research in CMAJ
(Canadian Medical Association
Journal)
PREVENTION:
Vitamins/Supplements
Growing
evidence of vitamin K benefits for heart health: New research has found that people who
eat a diet rich in vitamin K have up to a 34 percent lower risk of
atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease (conditions affecting the heart
or blood vessels). Vitamin K1 comes primarily from green leafy vegetables and
vegetable oils while vitamin K2 is found in meat, eggs and fermented foods such
as cheese. Journal of the
American Heart Association
Vitamin D
may protect against young-onset colorectal cancer: Consuming higher amounts of Vitamin D
-- mainly from dietary sources -- may help protect against developing
young-onset colorectal cancer or precancerous colon polyps, according to the
first study to show such an association. Gastroenterology
Vitamin D reduces the need for opioids in palliative cancer: Patients with vitamin D deficiency who
received vitamin D supplements had a reduced need for pain relief and lower
levels of fatigue in palliative cancer treatment, a randomized and
placebo-controlled study shows. Cancers
Vitamin D
supplements ineffective treatment for painful IBS symptoms: New research from University of
Sheffield reveals vitamin D supplementation does not improve painful IBS
symptoms. Scientists nonetheless noted a high prevalence of poor vitamin D
status in people with IBS, so the authors still recommend testing and remedy to
support overall health. The definitive study is the largest to provide evidence
on effect of vitamin D on IBS symptoms. European
Journal of Nutrition
PREVENTION: Diet/Nutrition
Iron
Deficiency Increasing in U.S. Diets: A
new studyTrusted
Source published
in the Journal of Nutrition reports an increase in iron deficiency in the US.
The main reason is high
crop yields per acre that are reducing the amount of iron in foods that people
and animals eat. Nutritionists recommend people eat more foods with higher iron
levels, and foods that help the body absorb iron.
Cutting Out
200 Calories a Day and Exercising Can Help You Stay Heart Healthy: A
new study has found that older adults with
obesity who combined aerobic exercise with a moderate reduction in calories had
greater improvements in cardiovascular health than adults who opted for
exercise only, or exercise with a more restrictive diet. Circulation
Diabetes: Do
low glycemic index diets work?
A recent analysis, which appears in BMJTrusted Source, suggests that eating a diet of low GI
foods may help people with diabetes, particularly type 2, maintain better
average blood sugar levels and improve other health parameters.
More
evidence that a plant-based diet protects heart health: Two recent observational studies looked
at the cardiovascular health of people who incorporated more plant-based foods
into their diets. One study followed participants for 32 years and found that
people with more plant-based diets had lower rates of heart disease. Journal of the American Heart Association. The other study focused on women’s
health and learned that women in the postmenopausal stage of life with more
plant-centered diets also had a reduced risk of heart issues. Journal of the American Heart Association
Moderate
drinking may be safe for people with cardiovascular disease: A new study finds that moderate
consumption of alcohol may reduce the risk of recurring cardiovascular events.
It says people with cardiovascular disease who drink may experience a reduced
risk of heart attack, stroke, angina, or death from cardiovascular causes if
they consume 7–8 alcoholic drinks per week. People who consumed 6 ounces (oz)
of alcohol per day lowered their risk by 50% compared to people with CVD who do
not drink. BMC Medicine,
The Sick-Quitter Effect: How Alcohol Can Seem Cardioprotective When it Isn’t.: Ever since 60 Minutes ran their
story on the French Paradox, people are fixated on the idea that
red wine can lower your risk of having a heart attack even if everything else
in your life is going wrong. You can smoke and eat unhealthy food, but somehow
red wine will fix all that. It won't, of course, and for one very simple
reason: The French Paradox, like most medical paradoxes, is a statistical
anomaly and is most certainly not true. Medscape
New-AF Risk
May Not Rise With Light Drinking, May Fall With Wine: A large cohort study saw a familiar
J-shaped curve detailing risk for new atrial fibrillation (AF), in which the
risk rose steadily with greater number of drinks per week, except at the lowest
levels of alcohol intake. There, the curve turned the other way. Light drinkers
overall showed no higher AF risk than nondrinkers, and the risk was lowest at
any degree of alcohol intake up to 56 g per week. On closer analysis of risk
patterns, the type of alcoholic beverage mattered. Modest weekly intake of red
wine, at least one serving but no more than seven, may have actually protected
against new AF compared with zero intake. published
July 27 in JACC: Clinical
Electrophysiology.
Switching from Western diet to a balanced diet may reduce skin, joint inflammation: Diet rich in sugar and fat leads to
disruption in the gut's microbial culture and contributes to inflammatory skin
diseases such as psoriasis. Research shows that switching to a more balanced
diet restores the gut's health and suppresses inflammation. Journal of Investigative Dermatology
PREVENTION
Second-hand
marijuana smoke exposure associated with respiratory infections in children: Children whose parents regularly smoke
or vape marijuana may experience viral respiratory infections, such as the
common cold, more frequently than those whose parents do not smoke, according
to a new study. Pediatric
Research
Lyme disease
heightens risk of mental disorders, suicidality: A new study reports that patients
hospitalized with Lyme disease had a 28 percent higher rate of mental disorders
and were twice as likely to attempt suicide. Physicians and patients should be
aware of the potential for psychiatric symptoms post-Lyme infection,
particularly during the first year after diagnosis. American Journal of Psychiatry
High BMI
causes depression – and both physical and social factors play a role: A largescale new study provides
further evidence that being overweight causes depression and lowers wellbeing
and indicates both social and physical factors may play a role in the effect.
With one in four adults estimated to be obese in the UK, and growing numbers of
children affected, obesity is a global health challenge. While the dangers of
being obese on physical health is well known, researchers are now discovering
that being overweight can also have a significant impact on mental health. Human Molecular Genetics
Examining correlation between occupational noise, heart
disease: Hearing conservation programs and policies aim to protect workers from
noise-induced hearing loss, but it remains unclear whether stress reactions
caused by noise exposure might also lead to other negative health outcomes.
Researchers now describe how data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey do
not support an association between loud noise exposure and changes in
biomarkers for cardiovascular disease or outcomes. The Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America
TREATMENT
Two types of
blood pressure meds prevent heart events equally, but side effects differ: In an analysis of almost 3 million patients
taking a single high blood pressure medication for the first time, angiotensin
receptor blockers (ARBs) were as good as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
inhibitors at preventing cardiovascular events linked to hypertension,
including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. 51 possible side effects and
safety concerns were examined: The patients taking ARBs were found to be
significantly less likely to develop tissue swelling, cough, pancreas
inflammation and bleeding in the digestive tract. Hypertension
No more
finger pricks: A
continuous glucose monitor benefits patients with diabetes in more ways than
one: A 15-center study of 175 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes
found that continuous glucose monitoring, compared to blood glucose meter
monitoring, or finger pricking, significantly decreased their hemoglobin A1C
over eight months. JAMA
Switching
drugs may not help with antibiotic resistance: In a new study, researchers have shown that antibiotic cycling
— which involves doctors switching between antibiotics to overcome antibiotic
resistance — may be an ineffective and unsustainable strategy. However, in their
study, which appears in The Lancet
Microbe,
the researchers did find that some subpopulations of bacteria may be
appropriate for antibiotic cycling, in limited cases.
Diabetes drugs reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s:
People taking certain drugs to lower blood sugar for type 2 diabetes had less
amyloid in the brain, a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease, when compared to both
people with type 2 diabetes not taking the drugs and people without diabetes.
People taking these drugs, called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, showed slower
cognitive decline than people in the other two groups. Neurology
Common
weight-loss drug successfully targets fat that can endanger heart health: Researchers have announced successful
results of a clinical trial for a commonly prescribed weight-loss drug called
liraglutide. In adults who are overweight or have obesity combined with high
cardiovascular risk, once-daily liraglutide combined with lifestyle
interventions significantly lowered two types of fat that have been associated
with risk to heart health: visceral fat and ectopic fat. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
Patients
report long-term favorable effects of weight loss surgery in their daily lives: A new study shows that over the course
of five years, patients who had bariatric and metabolic surgery to treat
uncontrolled type 2 diabetes reported greater physical health, more energy,
less body pain, and less negative effects of diabetes in their daily lives,
compared with patients who had medical therapy alone for their diabetes. Annals of Surgery
Sequential-combinatorial
regimens can make treatment more effective for people with aggressive cancers: A new preclinical study suggests that
treating people who have aggressive cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic and
colorectal cancers, with immune checkpoint inhibitors, quickly followed with
mutation-targeted therapy, can help overcome treatment resistance and help
people live longer. Cancer Cell
OTHER
When Does
Your Metabolism Significantly Decline?
It’s Later Than You Think: Many of us think of metabolism as peaking during
teenage years when people can “eat anything” without gaining weight and then
seeing a slowdown in the metabolic system in midlife in the 30s and 40s as it
becomes difficult to keep weight off.
But now, new research finds these long-held ideas about metabolism and
age might be incorrect. But research from Duke University has found new
information about when this process actually starts and when we can actually
blame age for an expanding waistline. Metabolism rates don’t significantly
decline until a person reaches their late 50s to 60s.
Philips CPAP
Machines Are Being Recalled, What to Know: Philips Respironics recalled several sleep apnea machines
over concerns that people could be inhaling cancer-causing chemicals through a
type of foam that’s embedded in the devices. The foam is used to reduce the sounds and
vibrations emitted by the devices. According to Philips, the foam may break
down into small particles. These can then be inhaled and lead to short-term and
long-term health issues. The recallTrusted Source, includes BiPAP and CPAP machines
Shared/Informed Decision Making: While decision making is part of life,
at the moment, some of the decisions just feel over whelming because they can
impact more than just you. Use the Decision Tools for the Time of Covid to help
make choices and decisions for yourself and family. 
• The Community Action Agency closest to
you. Check your local phone book for listing or go to
http://www.communityactionpartnership.com and look under Community Action
Network
