Ubiquitous food additive alters human microbiota and intestinal environment
New clinical research indicates that a widely used food additive, carboxymethylcellulose, alters the intestinal environment of healthy persons, perturbing levels of beneficial bacteria and nutrients. These findings, published in Gastroenterology, demonstrate the need for further study of the long-term impacts of this food additive on health. The research was led by a collaborative team of […]
Brief 5:2 diet advice is as effective as traditional GP advice, but people like it better, according to new study
A clinical trial has found people prefer receiving information on the 5:2 diet than standard GP weight management advice despite both interventions achieving similar modest weight loss results. The trial, funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and led by Queen Mary University of London, is the first randomised evaluation of the 5:2 diet, a […]
Can Lighter-Weight Mesh Cut Pain in Open Ventral Hernia Repair?
While offering similar clinical benefits at 1 year, a medium-weight polypropylene mesh was no better for pain control than a heavy-weight mesh in patients who underwent open retromuscular ventral hernia repair, a randomized multicenter trial showed. In fact, for the more than 300 patients in the trial, the two meshes resulted in identical pain scores […]
‘The Art of Deliberate Listening’; Access Tied to Outcomes; No ‘A’ in Cancer
Lessons learned from the absence of sound and “the art of deliberate listening.” (Journal of Clinical Oncology) A study from France showed that new diagnoses of metastatic colorectal cancer during the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with heavier tumor burden compared with prepandemic diagnoses, suggesting delayed diagnosis. (JAMA Network Open). An HHS […]
What Is a Suicidal Ideation Scale? Suicide Screening
Suicidal ideation scales are clinical tools used to assess a person’s risk of committing suicide and therefore help in timely intervention and treatment A suicidal ideation scale is a clinical tool used to assess a person’s risk of committing suicide. By helping healthcare providers recognize signs that someone is likely to self-injure, the scale aids […]
How can I avoid heart disease or stroke?
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice are published online today in European Heart Journal. As much as 90% of the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can be explained by smoking, poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, abdominal obesity, high blood […]
Your Thrilling Case May Be Your Patient’s Worst Nightmare
It’s been over 25 years, but I still remember my first clinical rotation as a third-year medical student: ob/gyn. It was so refreshing to finally take care of patients, to be in a hospital, and to see the things we learned in the classroom translated into clinical care. I’ll never forget a case from that […]
Trials reveal efficacy and safety of oral drug for treating anemia associated with kidney disease
Pooled results from recent clinical trials indicate that an oral drug called roxadustat is an effective treatment for anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. The results are published in an upcoming issue of CJASN. Many individuals with kidney dysfunction develop anemia, or a shortage of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to the […]
Do vitamin D supplements offer kidney-related benefits for individuals with high diabetes risk? Trial shows no significant effects on kidney outcomes
A recent clinical trial described in CJASN has examined the potential of vitamin D supplementation for protecting the kidney health of individuals with pre-diabetes. In the general population, low blood vitamin D levels have been associated with higher risks of various diseases, including type 2 diabetes and kidney disease. Sun H. Kim, MD, MS (Stanford […]
Common weight-loss drug successfully targets fat that can endanger heart health
Researchers at UT Southwestern 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 […]