Do certain amino acids modify the risk of dementia linked to air pollution?
Higher levels of vitamin B-related amino acids may be linked to the risk of dementia associated with a certain type of air pollutants called particulate matter, according to a study published in the July 19, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that […]
Sleep Quality Linked With Cognition Across Five Cohorts
AMSTERDAM — Better sleep consolidation and the absence of sleep apnea were associated with better global cognition over 5 years, a pooled analysis of sleep studies in nearly 6,000 adults showed. Across five cohorts, higher sleep maintenance efficiency (pooled β per 1% increase 0.08, P<0.01) and lower wake after sleep onset (pooled β per 1-min […]
External Causes of Death More Likely in Those With Bipolar Disorder
While bipolar disorder is known to be associated with early mortality, deaths are more likely to be caused by external factors, such as suicide, than somatic factors, such as alcohol-related diseases, according to a Finnish nationwide cohort study. In the cohort of people ages 15 to 64, those with bipolar disorder had six-fold higher mortality […]
Some NSCLC Patients on ICI Therapy Fare Worse With Proton Pump Inhibitor Use
Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use was independently associated with worse treatment outcomes in some patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with pembrolizumab (Keytruda), according to a Japanese multicenter cohort study. Among patients with a PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) of 50% or more, a history of PPI use […]
‘Overweight’ BMI Not Tied to Higher Risk of Death, U.S. Data Suggest
A body mass index (BMI) in the overweight — but not obese — range was not independently associated with an increased mortality risk, a retrospective study relying on two decades’ worth of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data found. Of roughly half a million U.S. adults captured in the 1999-2018 surveys, a slightly lower risk […]
Agent Orange Exposure Tied to Bladder Cancer Risk in Veterans
Exposure to Agent Orange was associated with a modestly increased risk of bladder cancer among Vietnam War veterans, according to a retrospective cohort study. Among over 2.5 million male veterans, exposure to Agent Orange was associated with a relative 4% higher risk of bladder cancer (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06, P<0.001), reported Stephen Williams, MD, […]
Dexamethasone or Surgery for Chronic Subdural Hematoma?
Dexamethasone treatment failed to demonstrate noninferiority to surgery for chronic subdural hematoma and was associated with more complications and a greater risk of later surgery, according to results of a randomized study terminated early due to safety and outcome concerns. In the DECSA trial, the odds ratio of a better functional outcome score with dexamethasone […]
Insomnia Symptoms Tied to Stroke a Decade Later
Insomnia symptoms were associated with an increased risk for stroke, according to a population-cohort study using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). People reporting less severe insomnia (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02-1.33) and more severe insomnia (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.29-1.77) saw an increased risk of stroke over an average 9 years of […]
Breathing Support Type Matters for Preventing Extubation Failure in the PICU
Postextubation use of certain modes of noninvasive respiratory support was associated with fewer incidents of extubation failure in critically ill children, a meta-analysis found. Compared with conventional oxygen therapy, both continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP; OR 0.43, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.17-1.0) and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC; OR 0.64, 95% CrI 0.24-1.0) appeared more effective […]
CDC: Children’s Brain Infections Rose Last Winter, But Remained Rare
Pediatric intracranial infections spiked recently and were associated with significant morbidity but remained rare, according to CDC researchers monitoring cases across the country. Hospitalization data through March 2023 from 37 hospitals in 19 states and the District of Columbia showed a “higher-than-expected number” of pediatric intracranial infections, particularly those caused by Streptococcus bacteria, beginning in […]