55% of Hospitalized COVID Patients Still Had Symptoms at 2 Years
More than half of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, during the initial outbreak reported at least one symptom a couple of years later, researchers found. The proportion of COVID-19 survivors with at least one sequelae symptom 2 years later came in at 55%, and the most frequent symptoms were fatigue or muscle weakness, […]
Opinion | We’re Depriving Underserved Patients of the Best Drugs
During a busy clinic day for patients without health insurance, one of us received a jarring announcement. Certain lifesaving medications that we had previously been able to freely provide to patients were no longer available. The costs of these drugs were far beyond the reach of our patients, and so healthcare teams were forced to […]
Opinion | ‘I’m a Cardiologist; I’m Used to Doing Things’: What We Heard This Week
“I’m a cardiologist; I’m used to doing things.” — FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, during a press briefing discussing the agency’s proposal to ban menthol in cigarettes and other tobacco products. “It’s just really important to get the word out that we have a lot more tools in the toolkit now.” — Kathy Yang, PharmD, […]
In the NICU, High-Flow Oxygen Boosts Intubation Success on First Attempt
Incorporating nasal high-flow therapy during endotracheal intubation attempts in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) increased the chance of success on the first try, a randomized study found. In the SHINE trial of just over 250 intubation attempts at a pair of Australian NICUs, 50% of those that included high-flow therapy had a successful first […]
RSV Vaccine Holds Promise for Pregnant Women
A bivalent protein-based vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) administered during pregnancy was safe and led to higher neutralizing antibody responses in mothers, as well as evidence of protection in their infants, an interim analysis of a phase IIb trial found. The geometric mean ratios of 50% neutralizing antibody titers against RSV A and B […]
Automated Head-Raising Device Tied to Better CPR Results in Cardiac Arrest
A device that raises the head during CPR to improve blood circulation boosted the likelihood that patients in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) reached neurologically intact recovery, a researcher reported. Patients who received CPR along with the EleGARD “head-up” device were more likely than those in a comparison group to reach “neuro-intact” survival,” according to Paul […]
Man Accidentally Inhales Drill Bit During Dental Procedure
Ten out of 10 dentists recommend not inhaling a drill bit during a routine dental procedure. And so does at least one Illinois man who has recovered after an ill-timed cough during a routine tooth filling deposited a nearly inch-long drill bit deep in the lower right lobe of his lung. Advertisement “I was at […]
Exercise during pregnancy reduces the risk of Type-2 Diabetes in offspring
A new study has demonstrated that maternal exercise during pregnancy improves the metabolic health of offspring, even when the mother is obese or on a high-fat diet. Physical exercise by the mother induces the placenta to secrete the key protein SOD3, resulting in a lowered risk of diabetes for the offspring. The findings in the […]
Study Confirms Declining Mammography Rates in Breast Cancer Survivors
Rates of follow-up mammography among breast cancer survivors declined significantly during the last decade, particularly among younger women, an analysis of health claims data showed. Rates of annual mammography decreased from 74.1% in 2004 to 67.1% in 2016, with all of the decline occurring from 2009 to 2016. Among breast cancer survivors ages 40 to […]
What’s the skinny on those pandemic pounds? New study sheds light on weight gain during the COVID-19 quarantine
More Americans weighed in as obese during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic than in the previous year. Anew study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, presents evidence from a large, nationally representative survey that documents this trend and helps to explain behavior changes that led to widespread weight gain […]