Psoriasis Affects an Estimated 3% of US Adults

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/psoriasis-affects-an-estimated-3-of-us-adults/ TOPLINE: Approximately 3% of adults in the United States have psoriasis, with a higher prevalence among older adults, individuals with overweight or obesity, and non-Hispanic White individuals, according to the results of a large database study. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey, a public cross-sectional survey […]

People seek NHS advice on drinking and breastfeeding at Christmas

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/people-seek-nhs-advice-on-drinking-and-breastfeeding-at-christmas/ NHS website information on drinking while breastfeeding saw the highest increase in visits at Christmas last year, new figures show. Among the most visited pages on Christmas and Boxing Day in 2023 were advice coughs, colds and chest infections. But some people also wanted to know about drinking and breastfeeding, alcohol […]

AI Catches Missing MRI Lesions

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ai-catches-missing-mri-lesions/ LOS ANGELES — An open-source artificial intelligence (AI) module can help identify epileptic lesions on MRI missed by human reviewers, including both focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and hippocampal sclerosis, according to new research. An estimated 42%-55% of adult and pediatric patients with epilepsy who undergo surgery with negative MRI findings have […]

Combining Retinal Scanning and Liver Screening in T2D

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/combining-retinal-scanning-and-liver-screening-in-t2d/ TOPLINE: Simultaneous screening for liver fibrosis during retinal scanning shows promise as a novel pathway for detecting advanced liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODOLOGY: International guidelines recommend screening for liver disease in people at risk for metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), particularly those with T2D, among […]

Abortion Opponents Shift Focus to Pills, With Lawsuits and Proposed Laws

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/abortion-opponents-shift-focus-to-pills-with-lawsuits-and-proposed-laws/ Opponents of abortion are increasingly focusing on restricting access to pills, which are the most common way to end a pregnancy in the U.S. This month, the Texas attorney general’s office filed a lawsuit against a New York doctor, saying she violated Texas law by prescribing abortion pills to a patient […]

Omitting Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Early Breast Cancer

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/omitting-axillary-lymph-node-dissection-in-early-breast-cancer/ Recently, omission of axillary lymph node dissection among patients with early breast cancer has been found to have no detrimental effect on outcomes in most cases, continuing a trend toward less aggressive management. Historically, treatment for breast cancer has been aggressive, with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy used to optimize outcomes. “But […]

Biomarker-Selected Treatment Shows Promise for Bladder Preservation in MIBC

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/biomarker-selected-treatment-shows-promise-for-bladder-preservation-in-mibc/ Biomarker-driven treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) led to a 2-year metastasis-free survival (MFS) rate that exceeded 70% in a phase II study, but failed to meet prespecified statistical constraints for a positive trial. Median MFS was 72.9% for 70 patients, but the lower range of the confidence the intervals for […]

New-Onset Epilepsy, Migraine Tied to Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-onset-epilepsy-migraine-tied-to-hypertensive-disorders-of-pregnancy/ Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were tied to higher risks of new-onset neurologic conditions later in life. Women with eclampsia had a five-times higher risk of developing epilepsy. Migraine risk rose for women with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy — gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, or eclampsia — were tied to […]

First Generic of Once-Daily GLP-1 Injection Approved for Diabetes

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/first-generic-of-once-daily-glp-1-injection-approved-for-diabetes/ The FDA has approved the first generic form of liraglutide (Victoza), a once-daily injectable for improving glycemic control in patients ages 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, used as an adjunct to diet and exercise. This is the second GLP-1 receptor agonist to have a generic, following last month’s approval […]

Prompt Diagnosis, Management of Primary Biliary Cholangitis Key to Quality of Life

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/prompt-diagnosis-management-of-primary-biliary-cholangitis-key-to-quality-of-life/ Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) can deliver a significant blow to patients’ quality of life, especially if they are not appropriately diagnosed and treated. “PBC is one of those liver diseases where you can have cirrhosis and liver failure if you don’t do anything about it in a matter of 10 to […]

Study Underscores Caution for NSAID Use in Pregnancy

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/study-underscores-caution-for-nsaid-use-in-pregnancy/ Some gestational exposures to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may carry more chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk for the child than others, a cohort study from Taiwan found. Gestational NSAID exposure was significantly associated with a higher risk of childhood CKD overall (weighted HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.15) but lost significance when […]

FDA Approves Second Generic Daily GLP-1 Drug for T2D

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-approves-second-generic-daily-glp-1-drug-for-t2d/ The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic once-daily injectable version of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) liraglutide (Victoza, Novo Nordisk) to lower blood sugar in people aged 10 years or older with type 2 diabetes (T2D), as an adjunct to diet and exercise.  The move follows […]

How Cell Therapies Help Fight Solid Tumors

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-cell-therapies-help-fight-solid-tumors/ The cutting edge of treating solid tumors with cell therapies got notably sharper this year. First came the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in February 2024 of the tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy lifileucel in unresectable or metastatic melanoma that had progressed on prior immunotherapy, the first cellular therapy for […]

The Physician’s Role in Curing the Social Media Epidemic

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/the-physicians-role-in-curing-the-social-media-epidemic/ The healthcare profession has done an admirable job controlling infectious epidemics and pandemics, such as AIDS and COVID-19 (special shout-out to Operation Warp Speed for the creation of COVID vaccines in record time). Now, we need to move on to social media epidemics. I believe the epidemic of social media has […]

King and Firefighter Syndrome: Disaster Response Goes Beyond the Front Lines

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/king-and-firefighter-syndrome-disaster-response-goes-beyond-the-front-lines/ Hawkins is an associate professor of emergency medicine and an emergency medical services specialist. Eldridge is an assistant teaching professor of anthropology. Watson is an assistant professor of anthropology. The western North Carolina experience of Hurricane Helene reminded us that in the wake of disaster, we commonly see different domains of […]

Specialty Board Certification Error Causes Headaches for Doctors

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/specialty-board-certification-error-causes-headaches-for-doctors/ Some doctors had a sleepless night when the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology’s (ABPN) online certification program locked them out earlier than the expected deadline — leading some to believe they would lose their board certification. Physicians were working on their quizzes to maintain board certification late on the evening […]

Congress Ditched Fix to Medicare Doc Pay Cut in Skinny Budget Bill

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/congress-ditched-fix-to-medicare-doc-pay-cut-in-skinny-budget-bill/ Following a tumultuous week of negotiations, Congress passed a skinny budget deal early Saturday morning, which President Biden signed into law, averting a government shutdown and continuing funding through mid-March. The compromise bill included $110 billion in relief for victims of natural disasters and for farmers. However, for physicians and many […]

Bariatric Surgeons Being Put Out of Work by GLP-1 Drugs

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/bariatric-surgeons-being-put-out-of-work-by-glp-1-drugs/ This story is part of a series called “Ozempic: Weighing the Risks and Benefits.” It was produced in part through a grant from the NIHCM Foundation. Since she lost her job this summer as a bariatric surgeon, Lana Nelson, DO, has a phone message that tells callers, “I’m probably out on […]

Patient Who Had No Luck With GLP-1 Drugs Found Success With Surgery

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/patient-who-had-no-luck-with-glp-1-drugs-found-success-with-surgery/ This story is part of a series called “Ozempic: Weighing the Risks and Benefits.” It was produced in part through a grant from the NIHCM Foundation. This is a sidebar to a story on how bariatric surgeons are being put out of work as a result of the rise in GLP-1 […]

Forget aesthetics, the reason to look after our skin should be health

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/forget-aesthetics-the-reason-to-look-after-our-skin-should-be-health/ Dr Jeremy Burgess/Science Photo Library Our skin isn’t just our biggest organ, it is also the one we are most familiar with. We look at it constantly, touch it, wash it, inspect it. And yet, when we think about looking after it, our minds often jump to aesthetics. We are inundated […]

New BCMA-Directed Therapies Show Promise in Multiple Myeloma

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-bcma-directed-therapies-show-promise-in-multiple-myeloma/ Data presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting highlighted advances in B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed therapies, including ABBV-383, a bispecific antibody with reduced toxicity and outpatient potential, and anitocabtagene autoleucel (anito-cel), a CAR-T with high response rates and fewer neurological side effects. MedPage Today brought together three expert […]

Adding Daratumumab to VRd Boosts MRD Negativity in Transplant-Ineligible Myeloma

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/adding-daratumumab-to-vrd-boosts-mrd-negativity-in-transplant-ineligible-myeloma/ In an analysis of the phase III CEPHEUS trial presented at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting, adding daratumumab (Darzalex) to bortezomib (Velcade), lenalidomide (Revlimid), and dexamethasone (VRd) significantly improved rates of minimal residual disease (MRD)-negativity and progression-free survival in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients ineligible for stem cell transplant. […]

How to nurture your microbiome to look after your skin

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-to-nurture-your-microbiome-to-look-after-your-skin/ Mud therapy may help to replenish the beneficial bacteria in our skin microbiome Michael Zegers/imageBROKER.com GmbH & Co. KG/Alamy Look under the microscope at any square centimetre of human skin and you will find it teeming with bacteria, fungi, mites and viruses. It might sound yucky, but your skin’s microbiome is […]

Doc Suspected in Mass Killing; Vaccine Injury Claims Spike; Iowa Has First H5N1 Case

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/doc-suspected-in-mass-killing-vaccine-injury-claims-spike-iowa-has-first-h5n1-case/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. A Saudi psychiatrist is suspected of deliberately bulldozing a car through a German Christmas market, killing five people and injuring more than 200. (CNN) Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, pleaded not guilty to state murder […]

How your mental state and stress levels influence your skin

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-your-mental-state-and-stress-levels-influence-your-skin/ Academic anxiety can exacerbate dermatological conditions Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images Even if you don’t wear your heart on your sleeve, your skin may betray your mental state. “There is a very strong connection between the brain and skin, and a connection between stress and skin diseases,” says Gil Yosipovitch at the University […]

FDA Updates ‘Healthy’ Claim for Foods — but Use Is Voluntary

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-updates-healthy-claim-for-foods-but-use-is-voluntary/ The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule on December 19 that updates the “healthy” nutrient claim on food labels, although compliance by manufacturers is voluntary. To bear the “healthy” claim, a food product needs to contain a certain amount of food (food group equivalent) from at least […]

The only four skincare ingredients that have been proven to work

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/the-only-four-skincare-ingredients-that-have-been-proven-to-work/ The choice of products promising to slow or reverse ageing can be overwhelming Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images Whether you want to brighten, firm, plump or smooth, there is an eye cream, neck cream, lip cream, face cream, serum, lotion or capsule available, for day or night use. But should you […]

Should the FDA Reconsider Antidepressant Black Box Warnings?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/should-the-fda-reconsider-antidepressant-black-box-warnings/ For almost two decades, antidepressants have carried black box warnings linking the medications to an increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young people. Paradoxically, and for almost as long, evidence suggests these warnings may have led to fewer depression diagnoses, reduced prescriptions, and, ultimately, higher suicide rates. With mounting […]

QOL With Shorter RT Equal to Standard in Endometrial Cancer

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/qol-with-shorter-rt-equal-to-standard-in-endometrial-cancer/ TOPLINE: Short-course vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCB) demonstrated noninferiority in quality of life for patients with early endometrial cancer vs standard regimens, in a prospective randomized trial. The study also found acceptable short-term toxicity and cancer control with the shorter duration of treatment. METHODOLOGY: A prospective, randomized, multicenter trial compared short-course adjuvant […]

HCC-Related Mortality: New Leading Causes Predicted

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/hcc-related-mortality-new-leading-causes-predicted/ TOPLINE: Age-standardized mortality rates for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States are expected to rise from 5.03 per 100,000 persons in 2022 to 6.39 per 100,000 persons by 2040. A lcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) will likely become the leading cause of HCC-related mortality by 2026, and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease […]

Bleeds Plummet After Experimental Gene Therapy

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/bleeds-plummet-after-experimental-gene-therapy/ SAN DIEGO — Promising early results from an ongoing randomized, open-label, single-arm, Phase 3 study could pave the way for a Pfizer product to become the second US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved gene therapy for hemophilia A. In an efficacy population of 50 patients with hemophilia A, the AFFINE trial […]

FDA Adds Black Box Warning for Liver Injury to Fezolinetant

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-adds-black-box-warning-for-liver-injury-to-fezolinetant/ The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added a boxed warning about liver injury to fezolinetant (Veozah), a drug often prescribed for hot flashes in menopausal women, according to an FDA statement. The warning is based on data from a postmarketing report of an individual who experienced elevated liver blood test […]

Younger People and Long COVID: Underreported, Undertreated

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/younger-people-and-long-covid-underreported-undertreated/ John Bolecek, 41, of Richmond, Virginia, was diagnosed with long COVID in May of 2022. While his acute infection was mild, once everyone else in his family had recovered, the heavy fatigue he experienced from the start has never lifted. “When I wake up in the morning, I feel like I […]

Recombinant Pertussis Booster Offers Lasting Immunity

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/recombinant-pertussis-booster-offers-lasting-immunity/ TOPLINE: A booster dose of recombinant pertussis vaccines provides sustained immunity in adolescents and young adults even after 5 years, with pertussis toxin (PT)–neutralizing antibody levels remaining 2.5- to 3-fold higher than prevaccination levels.  METHODOLOGY: Researchers assessed antibody persistence 5 years after booster vaccination with either a recombinant or chemically detoxified […]

Vitamin D3 Does Not Reduce T2D Risk in Healthy Seniors

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/vitamin-d3-does-not-reduce-t2d-risk-in-healthy-seniors/ TOPLINE: Long-term daily supplementation with moderate (1600 international units [IU]) or high (3200 IU) doses of vitamin D3 doesn’t reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) among generally healthy older adults who have serum vitamin D levels sufficient for bone health. METHODOLOGY: Observational studies have consistently linked low vitamin D […]

How Wildfire Smoke May Harm Brain Health

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-wildfire-smoke-may-harm-brain-health/ A growing body of research suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke can have detrimental effects not only on the heart and lungs but also on the brain, including raising the risk for dementia and other neurologic disorders. The number of wildfires in the United States hasn’t increased, but fires here and […]

What to Do When Your Patient Has Illness Anxiety Disorder

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/what-to-do-when-your-patient-has-illness-anxiety-disorder/ You needn’t be a digital native to appreciate the wonders of the internet. You’ve undoubtedly had plenty of patients who Googled their symptoms before an appointment. But the ubiquity of health advice (much of which may be outdated, misleading, or just plain wrong) can be especially worrisome for people with an […]

Congress Adjourns Without Easing Medicare Doc Pay Cut

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/congress-adjourns-without-easing-medicare-doc-pay-cut/ Congress abandoned plans to ease 2025 Medicare payment cuts for clinicians in its stopgap spending bill, frustrating physicians who’ve long pressed lawmakers to fix a “broken” reimbursement system. Amid divisions among Republicans, both Houses passed a slimmed-down continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. The bill, which President Joe Biden signed […]

Microplastics Pose Risks to Lungs

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/microplastics-pose-risks-to-lungs/ When Laura Sadofsky, PhD, a senior lecturer in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Hull, Hull, England, began looking at the effects of microplastic exposure on respiratory health 6 years ago, there were few scientific papers in the literature. “There was very little known about microplastics in the air we breathe,” […]

Self-Guided Online CBT Matches Clinician-Aided CBT for AD

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/self-guided-online-cbt-matches-clinician-aided-cbt-for-ad/ TOPLINE: A brief self-guided online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention was noninferior to comprehensive clinician-guided CBT in reducing symptoms in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), with both groups showing similar improvements on the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM). METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a single-blind randomized clinical noninferiority trial at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, […]

Management of Children and Adolescents With Long-COVID

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/management-of-children-and-adolescents-with-long-covid/ Current management of children and adolescents with long-COVID was the focus of various presentations at the 3rd Long-COVID Congress in Berlin in November. The congress aimed to facilitate in-depth discussions on recent research projects, diagnostic procedures, and therapeutic approaches to enhance care for long-COVID patients. This year, the focus was on […]

New Treatment Hopes for Vitiligo

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-treatment-hopes-for-vitiligo/ Advances in understanding the pathophysiology of vitiligo are transforming patient management, offering new hope for individuals with mild, moderate, and even severe forms of the disease, delegates heard at a recent conference, the Dermatology Days of Paris 2024, organized by the French Society of Dermatology. A Distinct Disease An estimated 65% […]

Soaring Pacemaker Demand Spurs Controversial New Approach

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/soaring-pacemaker-demand-spurs-controversial-new-approach/ CHICAGO — When a female patient received a pacemaker at the Frankel Cardiovascular Center at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and died shortly after with the brand-new and fully functioning device still in her chest, her grieving husband wondered whether the expensive and barely used technology could be donated […]

Proteins in Plasma Linked to MI, Especially for Women

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/proteins-in-plasma-linked-to-mi-especially-for-women/ Forty-five circulating proteins in plasma are linked to the risk for myocardial infarction (MI), showed a new study that confirms some known associations and identifies new ones. Several proteins are associated with MI in women but not men, and some proteins linked with MI in both men and women are more […]

US Sees Rise in Life Expectancy After Pandemic Decline

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/us-sees-rise-in-life-expectancy-after-pandemic-decline/ COVID-19 continues to retreat from being a top cause of death in the US, and in turn, life expectancy last year rebounded further toward prepandemic longevity. New CDC data suggests that people born in 2023 are predicted to live to age 78.4, which is nearly an entire year longer than the […]

Royal Papworth Hospital ‘lungs in a box’ could boost transplants

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/royal-papworth-hospital-lungs-in-a-box-could-boost-transplants/ Royal Papworth Hospital The machine, nicknamed “lungs in a box”, is designed to mimic the human body A new machine which keeps lungs alive outside of the body could “transform” the number of people receiving transplants, surgeons hope. The breakthrough has come at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire after it became […]

Coffee, Tea Tied to Lower Risk of Head and Neck Cancer

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/coffee-tea-tied-to-lower-risk-of-head-and-neck-cancer/ In the latest statistical salvo of an ongoing debate, people who consumed more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a lower risk of head and neck cancer (HNC), according to a meta-analysis of 14 published studies. The relative risk of any HNC declined by 17%, including statistically significant declines […]

ART Use Rises Among US Medicare Enrollees Living With HIV

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/art-use-rises-among-us-medicare-enrollees-living-with-hiv/ TOPLINE:  Antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription rates among Medicare enrollees living with HIV increased from 2007 to 2019. Although age-based disparities had reduced, women and both younger and older people had lower ART rates. METHODOLOGY: Since 2012, the US Department of Health and Human services advised initiating ART for all people living […]

Cash Is King — For Some Doctors

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/cash-is-king-for-some-doctors/ Once upon a time, patients would routinely arrive at your office with cash in hand. It looks like what’s old might be new again, thanks to the ever-increasing stress over the time, paperwork, billing expertise, and hassle involved in reimbursement. Autonomy over your business — and cash flow — are other […]

NSAIDs Triple Time to Conception in Women With SpA

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/nsaids-triple-time-to-conception-in-women-with-spa/ TOPLINE: Subfertility is common in women with spondyloarthritis (SpA), with factors such as older age and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prior to conception associated with a longer time to pregnancy. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a prospective observational study across 63 French centers to evaluate the time to pregnancy and its […]

Immunotherapy Timing in Early-Stage NSCLC?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/immunotherapy-timing-in-early-stage-nsclc/ Do patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) benefit from continuing immunotherapy beyond surgery? The short answer: Oncologists don’t know for sure. Since October 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three checkpoint inhibitors — pembrolizumab (Keytruda), durvalumab (Imfinzi), and most recently nivolumab (Opdivo) — alongside platinum-containing […]

Novel JAK1 Inhibitor Hits the Mark in Arthritis Trial

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/novel-jak1-inhibitor-hits-the-mark-in-arthritis-trial/ TOPLINE: Ivarmacitinib, a novel Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, alleviates symptoms, reduces disease activity, and improves physical function and quality of life in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have an inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs). METHODOLOGY: This phase 3 trial, conducted across 59 sites […]

Doctors issue warning over water bead Christmas gifts for children

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/doctors-issue-warning-over-water-bead-christmas-gifts-for-children/ Emergency doctors in the UK have issued a safety warning over water beads, which could be given to children as gifts over Christmas. The brightly-coloured soft plastic beads, also known as jelly balls, sensory beads, or water crystals are marketed as crafting tools and homeware items – but also toys. They […]

Low-Dose Hypobaric Anesthesia Shows Promise in Arthroplasty

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/low-dose-hypobaric-anesthesia-shows-promise-in-arthroplasty/ TOPLINE: Low-dose hypobaric mepivacaine and bupivacaine provide adequate spinal anesthesia for hip and knee arthroplasty, with 93% of patients completing surgery without supplementation. Motor function returned by a mean of 145 minutes with mepivacaine and 217 minutes with bupivacaine. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a prospective observational study to investigate the anesthetic and […]

How Bird Flu Spread Unchecked, Posing a Pandemic Risk

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-bird-flu-spread-unchecked-posing-a-pandemic-risk/ Keith Poulsen’s jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October. A livestock veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Poulsen had seen sick cows before, with their noses dripping and udders slack. But the scale of the farmers’ efforts to treat […]

‘Everyone Knows Surgeons Brag About Having Steady Hands’: What We Heard This Week

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/everyone-knows-surgeons-brag-about-having-steady-hands-what-we-heard-this-week/ “Everyone knows surgeons brag about having steady hands, so we decided to put this to the test.” — Michael Drozd, MBChB, PhD, of the University of Leeds in England, discussing his research into the dexterity of surgeons versus other hospital staff. “When a child has atopic dermatitis, his or her parents […]

My Medical AI Holiday Wish List

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/my-medical-ai-holiday-wish-list/ Mary Meyer MD, MPH, is an emergency physician with The Permanente Medical Group. She also holds a Master of Public Health and certificates in Global Health and Climate Medicine. Meyer previously served as a director of disaster preparedness for a large healthcare system. Holiday season 2024 has officially kicked off, and […]

Gene Therapy Shows Long-Term Vision Benefits in Rare Eye Disease

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/gene-therapy-shows-long-term-vision-benefits-in-rare-eye-disease/ Patients with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) due to the MT-ND4 gene variant treated with the gene therapy lenadogene nolparvovec in one eye showed a sustained improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in both eyes up to 5 years after treatment, the long-term RESTORE study showed. Among 55 patients who completed […]

What Did New Data Show About Drinking Wine?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/what-did-new-data-show-about-drinking-wine/ The 24-hour news cycle is just as important to medicine as it is to politics, finance, or sports. At MedPage Today, new information is posted daily, but keeping up can be a challenge. As an aid for our readers, and for a little amusement, here is a 10-question quiz based on […]

Electronic Sepsis Alerts; Reducing Plaques in Coronary Arteries

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/electronic-sepsis-alerts-reducing-plaques-in-coronary-arteries/ TTHealthWatch is a weekly podcast from Texas Tech. In it, Elizabeth Tracey, director of electronic media for Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, and Rick Lange, MD, president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, look at the top medical stories of the week. This week’s topics include […]

From Book Burnings to Data Deletions: Safeguarding Health Info in the Digital Age

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/from-book-burnings-to-data-deletions-safeguarding-health-info-in-the-digital-age/ Cerceo is an academic hospitalist and environmental health advocate. With the new administration taking office next month, there is a growing concern among scientists, public health experts, and environmental advocates about the potential removal of critical health science information from government websites. During the previous Trump administration, significant amounts of data […]

TikTok’s Beef Tallow Skin Care Hack: Does It Work?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/tiktoks-beef-tallow-skin-care-hack-does-it-work/ Share on PinterestPeople on TikTok are claiming that beef tallow (animal fat) is an effective facial moisturizer that can help hydrate your skin and reduce acne, but dermatologists say it can do more harm than good. RECVISUAL/Getty Images A new TikTok trend has people spreading beef tallow on their skin. Purported […]

FDA OKs Bioengineered Vessel to Reduce Limb Amputations After Vascular Trauma

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-oks-bioengineered-vessel-to-reduce-limb-amputations-after-vascular-trauma/ The FDA on Friday approved acellular tissue engineered vessel (Symvess), an off-the-shelf product for treating vascular trauma in the extremities of adults. The one-time, single-use therapy — the first of its kind — is indicated for use as a vascular conduit for arterial injuries that require urgent revascularization to avoid the […]

FDA Approves First Sleep Apnea Drug

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-approves-first-sleep-apnea-drug/ The FDA approved tirzepatide (Zepbound) for adults with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity, the agency announced late Friday. Used along with diet and exercise, this marks the first and only prescription medicine for the comorbid conditions. “Today’s approval marks the first drug treatment option for certain patients with obstructive […]

Next-in-Class Once-Daily Pill Approved for Cystic Fibrosis

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/next-in-class-once-daily-pill-approved-for-cystic-fibrosis/ The FDA approved a once-daily oral combination of vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor (Alyftrek) for cystic fibrosis (CF) in adults and children 6 years and up, drugmaker Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced on Friday. Eligible patients must have at least one mutation in F508del or another responsive mutation in the CFTR gene. Of note, the CFTR modulator […]

Public Health Experts Decry Louisiana’s Ban on Vaccine Promotion

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/public-health-experts-decry-louisianas-ban-on-vaccine-promotion/ In the wake of state public health officials barring promotion of certain vaccines — as is occurring in Louisiana — physicians and medical societies must speak out about the value of vaccination in children as well as adults, public health experts said Friday. “Medical societies can speak out,” Georges Benjamin, MD, […]

Are Antibiotics Linked to Dementia? New Study Weighs In

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/are-antibiotics-linked-to-dementia-new-study-weighs-in/ Over 4.7 years of follow-up, no link emerged between antibiotic use and dementia risk in healthy older adults. However, the findings may not apply to the general older population. Earlier evidence about the relationship between antibiotic use and cognition has been mixed. Antibiotic use didn’t raise the risk of dementia in […]

Flu Season Is Underway, as Cases Surge in Some Areas and Vaccinations Lag

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/flu-season-is-underway-as-cases-surge-in-some-areas-and-vaccinations-lag/ The U.S. flu season is underway, with cases surging across much of the country, health officials said Friday. The CDC noted sharp increases in several measures, including lab tests and emergency department visits. “It’s been increasing at a pretty steady pace now for the past several weeks. So yeah, we are […]

Telehealth Pathway for IBD Surgery Expanded Access to Care in Small Study

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/telehealth-pathway-for-ibd-surgery-expanded-access-to-care-in-small-study/ ORLANDO — Utilization of a “total telemedicine pathway” for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) surgery saved a considerable amount of mileage and time for patients treated at an academic IBD center, according to a small study presented here. For 13 included patients, using telemedicine for all preoperative and postoperative visits saved a […]

First Drug Approved for Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/first-drug-approved-for-familial-chylomicronemia-syndrome/ The FDA approved olezarsen (Tryngolza) as the first drug for adults with familial chylomicronemia syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can cause triglyceride levels to reach the thousands. A first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide, olezarsen is indicated in conjunction with a low-fat diet. Approval was supported by the phase III Balance trial, which […]

Employers Press Congress to Cement Health Price Transparency Before Trump’s Return

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/employers-press-congress-to-cement-health-price-transparency-before-trumps-return/ It seems simple: Require hospitals and insurers to post their negotiated prices for most healthcare services and — bingo — competition follows, yielding lower costs for consumers. But nearly 4 years after the first Trump administration’s regulations forced hospitals to post massive amounts of pricing information online, the effect on patients’ […]

No Seed Oil-Colon Cancer Link; Avoiding Prostate Biopsy; Top Cancer Advances

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/no-seed-oil-colon-cancer-link-avoiding-prostate-biopsy-top-cancer-advances/ Seed oils (sunflower, sesame, etc.) are not driving the surge in colon cancer cases among younger people. (Science Feedback) Only 4% of men with an elevated PSA but a normal MRI developed aggressive prostate cancer 3 years later, offering a biopsy-sparing approach. (JAMA Oncology) Ten biotech companies expected to be at […]

Next-Generation Therapies for Multiple Myeloma

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/next-generation-therapies-for-multiple-myeloma/ The treatment landscape for multiple myeloma is evolving rapidly, with novel therapies offering renewed hope for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. At this year’s American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting, several studies highlighted innovative approaches that address the unmet needs of heavily pretreated patients, including those resistant to existing […]

A Thin Shred of My Sanity Remained. Then I Hit My Breaking Point.

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/a-thin-shred-of-my-sanity-remained-then-i-hit-my-breaking-point/ DeParis is the director of quality and clinical standards at the American Academy of Ophthalmology. I distinctly remember one Tuesday morning during the second half of my first year of ophthalmology residency in 2014. It was 6 a.m., and I was hysterically crying while standing in my kitchen, holding a pair […]

Sticking With CDK4/6 Inhibitors for Breast Cancer Wins in Post-Progression Setting

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/sticking-with-cdk4-6-inhibitors-for-breast-cancer-wins-in-post-progression-setting/ Patients with advanced estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer that progressed on CDK4/6 inhibitors had better survival if they continued CDK4/6 inhibition plus endocrine therapy rather than switch to endocrine therapy alone, a large meta-analysis showed. The hazard for progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) decreased by about 40% when patients continued […]

What Can Be Done for Severe RSV Cases in Adults?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/what-can-be-done-for-severe-rsv-cases-in-adults/ Though there are now respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines approved by the FDA and recommended by the CDC for certain high-risk adults, what happens when someone ends up with severe illness from the virus? “It really is just supportive care,” Angela Branche, MD, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in […]

Quads, Frailty, and the Future: Evolving Frontline Strategies in Multiple Myeloma

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/quads-frailty-and-the-future-evolving-frontline-strategies-in-multiple-myeloma/ Using quadruplet regimens with anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, such as daratumumab (Darzalex) or isatuximab (Sarclisa), has significantly advanced frontline therapy for both transplant-eligible and transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, according to data presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting. MedPage Today brought together three expert leaders in […]

Randy Moss’ Rare GI Cancer: Here’s What to Know

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/randy-moss-rare-gi-cancer-heres-what-to-know/ Former NFL wide receiver Randy Moss announced last week that he underwent a 6-hour surgery for a rare and aggressive gastrointestinal cancer. Moss, 47, detailed in an Instagram Live video that a tumor was found in his bile duct, “right between the pancreas and the liver.” He said he was hospitalized […]

Asymptomatic Brain Metastases in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/asymptomatic-brain-metastases-in-egfr-mutant-nsclc/ Brain metastases are a common problem in patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), occurring in about one-fifth to one-quarter of patients. Many brain metastases will be asymptomatic at diagnosis. “Brain metastases are very often detected on screening MRI, which is part of the standard work-up for patients with suspected […]

State Bars Health Workers From Pushing COVID Vax; Cold Deaths; Marburg Outbreak Ends

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/state-bars-health-workers-from-pushing-covid-vax-cold-deaths-marburg-outbreak-ends/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. Louisiana is no longer allowing public health workers to promote vaccines for COVID, the flu, or mpox. (NPR) In an effort to avert a government shutdown, House Republicans abandoned pharmacy benefit manager reforms in the funding bill. (The Hill) Medicare’s negotiated drug […]

Do We Need CV Risk Equations to Guide Statin Use?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/do-we-need-cv-risk-equations-to-guide-statin-use/ An individual’s estimated risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years is widely used to guide preventative medication prescriptions with statins or antihypertensive drugs in those who have not yet had such an event. To estimate that risk, doctors use equations that include different risk factors, […]

The Lifesaving Legacy of Vaccines

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/the-lifesaving-legacy-of-vaccines/ Jeremy Faust is editor-in-chief of MedPage Today, an emergency medicine physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and a public health researcher. He is author of the Substack column Inside Medicine. Follow In part 2 of this exclusive video interview, MedPage Today‘s editor-in-chief Jeremy Faust, MD, talks with Perri Klass, […]

Will an mRNA vaccine target the norovirus strain behind surging cases?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/will-an-mrna-vaccine-target-the-norovirus-strain-behind-surging-cases/ Transmission electron micrograph of parts of the norovirus pathogen BSIP SA/Alamy A global international trial of an mRNA vaccine against norovirus is getting underway with the aim of reducing the health burden caused by the infamous “winter vomiting” bug. The trial has been complicated by the emergence of a new norovirus […]

Clinicians More Likely to Flag Black Kids’ Injuries as Abuse

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/clinicians-more-likely-to-flag-black-kids-injuries-as-abuse/ TOPLINE:  Among children with traumatic injury, those of Black ethnicity are more likely than those of White ethnicity to be suspected of experiencing child abuse. Young patients and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds also face an increased likelihood of suspicion for child abuse (SCA). METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data on pediatric patients […]

Is Whole Blood Making a Comeback to Civilian Practice?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/is-whole-blood-making-a-comeback-to-civilian-practice/ A clinical trial in Finland will seek to determine whether emergency services can safely use whole blood for transfusions before patients reach the hospital. Other trials held in the United Kingdom and France suggest the return of whole blood is being considered as a replacement product for acute bleeding. Whole blood […]

MMRV Safety Assessed in Children on Methotrexate, Dupilumab

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/mmrv-safety-assessed-in-children-on-methotrexate-dupilumab/ TOPLINE: A retrospective analysis finds no adverse events (AEs) in children receiving a live attenuated vaccine against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) while on dupilumab or methotrexate treatment, challenging current recommendations. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective search of electronic medical records at a pediatric tertiary care center between 2017 and […]

Post-Exertional Malaise in Fatiguing Diseases: What to Know

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/post-exertional-malaise-in-fatiguing-diseases-what-to-know/ Identifying the phenomenon of post-exertional malaise (PEM) in patients with fatiguing conditions is critical because it necessitates a far more cautious approach to exercise, experts said. PEM is a defining feature of the condition myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and it is present in many people with long COVID. It is […]

How to Stay Sharp and Healthy

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-to-stay-sharp-and-healthy/ Laura Vater remembers sneaking into her home after 12-hour night shifts during medical training while her husband distracted their toddler. The stealthy tag-teaming effort helped her get enough undisturbed sleep before returning to an Indiana University hospital the following night to repeat the pattern. “He would pretend to take out the […]

Best Ways Med Students Can Retain Knowledge

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/best-ways-med-students-can-retain-knowledge/ Medical school has been likened to drinking from a fire hose. Students have just 4 years to absorb the deluge of content they’ll need to practice medicine. It takes 3-4 hours of studying every day just to stay on track, and as medical candidates approach their board exams, the study time […]

Study Supports Pediatric Concussion Management Approach

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/study-supports-pediatric-concussion-management-approach/ Children aged 5-12 years with concussion have similar recovery trajectories, regardless of whether the injury is linked to sports or to other causes, such as falls, new data indicated. “With that result, it means we don’t need to change management protocols” depending on the cause of the concussion, study author Andrée-Anne […]

Same GP at each appointment for patients most in need

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/same-gp-at-each-appointment-for-patients-most-in-need/ Patients most “in need” should be able to see the same doctor at every appointment in their local GP surgery, the government says. GPs will be rewarded financially if they do this and if they go “above and beyond” preventing common killers like heart disease or treating high blood pressure early, […]

IL-6 Receptor Inhibitors Show Early Promise for CPPD

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/il-6-receptor-inhibitors-show-early-promise-for-cppd/ Interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6r) inhibition is a promising approach for the treatment of calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), although no prospective studies have been conducted to date. Nevertheless, a retrospective analysis of patients treated with the IL-6r inhibitor tocilizumab, presented at American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2024 Annual Meeting, showed improved […]

Equity Gaps in T1D Technology Persist in BC, Despite Funding

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/equity-gaps-in-t1d-technology-persist-in-bc-despite-funding/ Although universal coverage of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices in 2021 led to improved care for children with diabetes in British Columbia, equity gaps for the most deprived persist, a new analysis showed. Despite an increase in CGM uptake across all levels of deprivation 1 year after universal CGM funding was […]

Finally, a New Option for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/finally-a-new-option-for-posttraumatic-stress-disorder/ A drug that combines the atypical antipsychotic brexpiprazole and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline provides significantly greater relief of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than sertraline plus placebo, results of a phase 3 trial showed. The medication is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and […]

Lowering Urate May Protect Kidneys in Gout Patients With CKD

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/lowering-urate-may-protect-kidneys-in-gout-patients-with-ckd/ TOPLINE: Achieving serum urate to below 6 mg/dL with urate-lowering therapy (ULT) in patients with gout and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage III is not linked to an increased risk for severe or end-stage kidney disease. METHODOLOGY: Researchers emulated analyses of a hypothetical target trial using a cloning, censoring, and weighting […]

Monitoring Heart Health Crucial in Patients With Anorexia

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/monitoring-heart-health-crucial-in-patients-with-anorexia/ TOPLINE: Patients with anorexia nervosa are at significantly increased risk for cardiovascular conditions such as congestive heart failure and cardiac arrest compared with people without an eating disorder, researchers found. The risk for many of these conditions declines after 5 years of follow-up, whereas the risk for ischemic heart disease rises […]

HRQOL the Same With CDK4/6 Inhibitors in 1st or 2nd Line

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/hrqol-the-same-with-cdk4-6-inhibitors-in-1st-or-2nd-line/ SAN ANTONIO — For patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, health-related quality of life is the same whether they receive CDK4/6 inhibitors in the first or second line of therapy, according to investigators in the SONIA trial. The health-related quality of life data come from a new analysis of […]

Cardiovascular Impact After Preterm Birth

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/cardiovascular-impact-after-preterm-birth/ TOPLINE: Adults aged 50 years who were born preterm have a higher risk for hypertension but lower risk for cardiovascular events than those born at term, with similar risks for diabetes, prediabetes, and dyslipidemia between groups. METHODOLOGY: The researchers conducted a prospective cohort study of the Auckland Steroid Trial — the […]

Genetic Markers May Predict TNF Inhibitor Response in RA

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/genetic-markers-may-predict-tnf-inhibitor-response-in-ra/ TOPLINE: Genetic markers, specifically tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 2 (TNFR2) gene polymorphisms, may predict response to TNF inhibitor therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This approach could optimize treatment and improve patient outcomes. METHODOLOGY: The study aimed to determine if TNFR2 gene polymorphisms could serve as biomarkers for treatment […]

T-DXd Preserves QOL, Brain Function in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/t-dxd-preserves-qol-brain-function-in-her2-breast-cancer/ SAN ANTONIO — More than half of patients with pretreated HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer who received the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd; Enhertu) had preservation of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and neurological function at 1 year, even when the cancer had metastasized to brain, an analysis of data […]