Paxlovid May Lower Long COVID Risk, VA Study Suggests
Use of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) in older adults with risk factors for severe disease was associated with a roughly 25% lower risk of a post-COVID condition (PCC), a retrospective study of Veterans Affairs data showed. In the cohort of over 280,000 patients with a confirmed COVID case, 13% of those prescribed nirmatrelvir-ritonavir went on to develop […]
Progestin-Only Birth Control Linked to Small Increase in Breast Cancer Risk
Current or recent use of progestin-only contraceptives was associated with a small increase in risk of breast cancer, similar to the risk associated with combined hormonal contraceptives, according to a nested case-control study and meta-analysis from the U.K. In the nested case-control study of data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, women had a comparable […]
Investigational ALS Drug May Have Clinical Benefit, FDA Staff Says
Tofersen, an investigational antisense drug developed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) associated with a mutation in the SOD1 gene (SOD1-ALS), may have clinical benefit, FDA reviewers indicated in briefing documents ahead of an advisory committee meeting. On Wednesday, the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee will vote on whether evidence supporting a […]
Small Gains in Cardiorespiratory Fitness Track With Improved Longevity
As previously suspected, changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) were associated with reciprocal changes in mortality risk independent of other comorbidities or initial fitness status, a large observational study found. People who had serial exercise treadmill test assessments, with a median 6 years between initial and final tests, showed that changes in aerobic capacity over time […]
Diagnosis, Death in Pulmonary Fibrosis Seen Earlier in Black Patients
Black patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) consistently experienced poor outcomes associated with their disease at earlier ages than other groups, including hospitalization and death, according to U.S. registry data spanning nearly two decades. In an analysis from the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Registry (PFFR) from 2003 to 2021, a PF diagnosis in Black individuals occurred about […]
Depressive Symptoms Linked to Higher Risk of Acute Stroke
Symptoms of depression were associated with an increased risk of acute stroke, according to an international case-control study. Among more than 26,000 participants in the INTERSTROKE study, self-reported depressive symptoms were associated with significantly greater odds of acute stroke (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.34-1.58), including ischemic stroke (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.32-1.58) and intracerebral hemorrhage […]
Monoclonal Antibodies Linked to Reduced RSV Burden in Young Kids
Prophylactic use of three monoclonal antibodies was associated with substantial reductions in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related infections and hospitalizations in children under 5, a systematic review and meta-analysis showed. Across 14 randomized controlled trials involving over 18,000 high-risk children, moderate- to high-certainty evidence showed that nirsevimab, palivizumab, and motavizumab were associated with significant reductions in […]
Moderna Booster Vaccine Singled Out for Chronic Hives
The monovalent Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine may be associated with an elevated risk for new-onset chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), or hives lasting more than 6 weeks, according to a Swiss study. Among people who got an mRNA COVID vaccine booster and had new-onset hives reported to local allergists, 90% had vaccination precede CSU in the […]
Body Dissatisfaction Can Lead to Eating Disorders at Any Age: New study suggests that perimenopause may be an especially risky time for women who are trying to overcome a poor body image
Eating disorders are stereotypically associated with adolescents and young adults. Growing evidence, however, suggests that these conditions can occur at any time during a woman’s lifespan, including at midlife. A new study finds that body dissatisfaction is a primary cause of eating disorders, especially during perimenopause. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the […]
What Happens When Patients Learn About Their Alzheimer’s Status?
Learning about a positive amyloid-PET result was associated with psychological changes among people with subjective cognitive decline, but those changes did not reach a threshold for clinical concern. In the prospective AMYPAD consortium study, people who received news about a positive amyloid scan showed small increases in distress, anxiety, or depression scores compared with peers […]