Methotrexate Tied to Greater Risks for Older Patients With CKD
Older patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) had greater risks for serious adverse events when starting on low-dose methotrexate rather than hydroxychloroquine, a propensity score-matched analysis found. About 60% of the cohort’s new prescription came from a rheumatologist. Within 90 days of starting either treatment, the risk for the composite outcome — a hospital visit […]
Subclinical CVD Detected in Kids With Higher Arsenic Burden
Greater arsenic exposure was linked to children harboring subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) as early as age 9, based on data from Syracuse, New York. In this upstate community with a history of industrial waste, total arsenic level significantly correlated with carotid intima media thickness and concentric hypertrophy (the latter indicated by greater left ventricular mass […]
Across Borders, Worse COVID Outcomes Seen in Polluted Areas
During the pandemic, people exposed to more air pollution were at greater risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death, a nationwide study from Denmark showed. Based on the country’s COVID-19 surveillance system covering over 3.7 million residents, there were significant associations between local levels of inhalable particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and incident […]
Pregnant, Black? Here’s Your Drug Test
Perinatal care differs by race and ethnicity, with greater disparities in care for more stigmatizing conditions such as depression and substance use, according to a retrospective study. For example, compared with white women, Black women were less likely to receive a prenatal depression screen (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.7-0.9) and more likely to be given […]
Why the Now-Dominant BQ COVID Strains Are Cause for Concern
The latest circulating COVID-19 variants have shown greater immune escape, which will likely lead to increasing cases over the coming months, experts said. New Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 together now make up more than half of all COVID cases in the U.S. (30.9% and 31.9%, respectively), according to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker, representing […]
Adult ADHD linked to elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases
Adults with ADHD are at greater risk of developing a range of cardiovascular diseases than those without the condition, according to a large observational study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Örebro University in Sweden. The researchers say the findings, published in the journal World Psychiatry, underscore the need to monitor cardiovascular health in […]
First-Line HIV Treatment Proves Mettle in Pregnant Patients
The HIV agent dolutegravir (Tivicay) was tied to greater viral suppression for pregnant patients with HIV-1, according to a cohort study. Among patients who used dolutegravir during pregnancy, viral suppression at delivery was achieved in nearly 96.7% of participants, reported Kunjal Patel, DSc, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and […]
ADVOR Backs Add-On Acetazolamide for Cutting Congestion in Decompensated HF
BARCELONA — The addition of IV acetazolamide to loop diuretic therapy led to a greater incidence of successful early decongestion in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (HF), according to the ADVOR trial. The primary outcome of successful decongestion within 3 days after randomization was 42.2% with acetazolamide versus 30.5% with placebo (P<0.001), reported Wilfried […]
Aldosterone Linked to Kidney Failure Risk, Irrespective of Diabetes
Higher serum aldosterone levels were linked to a greater risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease (CKD), both for those with and without diabetes, a study showed. Every doubling in aldosterone level was associated with 11% (95% CI 1.04-1.18) greater risk of progression of CKD to end-stage kidney disease or halving of estimated glomerular […]
Higher-Potency Cannabis Linked to Psychosis, Dependency
Use of higher potency cannabis products was associated with a greater risk for psychosis and dependency, a systematic review of 20 studies found. In findings from the U.K. GAP study, for example, users of high-potency cannabis were nearly three times more likely to experience first-time psychosis compared with those who had never used cannabis before […]