New Study Reveals Why Infectious Diseases Are Spreading More Rapidly
More than half of all human infectious diseases in recorded history — Lyme, West Nile, hantavirus, typhoid, HIV and influenza, to name a few — have been exacerbated by the mounting impacts of greenhouse gas-driven climate change. That is the sobering conclusion of a new, first-of-its-kind paper that combed through more than 70,000 scientific studies […]
Exercise’s Stroke Reduction Holds Up With Accelerometer Data
People who fit in roughly half an hour of exercise a day tended to be at lower risk of stroke, according to a cohort study adding to the evidence that physical activity is protective for cardiovascular health. Based on accelerometer measurements, the most sedentary individuals in the REGARDS study cohort carried a 44% increased risk […]
Sex and the (Not Quite) Single Arthritis Patient
COPENHAGEN — Half of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 30% of those with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) reported substantial problems with sexual function, according to a survey reported here. Among 27 with RA diagnoses, 13 had scores on the 14-item Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ) in the range indicative of sexual dysfunction, said Carlos […]
Medication treatment of pediatric psychiatric disorders reduces the later onset of substance use problems: Early and longer-lasting treatment reduces risk of substance use disorder most significantly
One half of psychiatric and substance use disorders start by the age of 18; three-quarters by age 24. While these are concerning statistics, a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) finds that treating psychiatric disorders with psychotropic medications in children and adolescents does not increase the risk of developing substance use, misuse, or substance […]
More Than Half of States Will Ban Abortion if Roe Is Overturned, Expert Says
Abortion will become illegal in slightly more than half of states if the Supreme Court’s leaked draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade becomes final, while many of the remaining states are working to ensure that abortion continues to be accessible there, according to one expert. Most states have limits on abortion around viability, with […]
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, […]
What It Would Take For Abortion Rights To Be Codified Into U.S. Law
With the Supreme Court poised to roll the clock back half a century on abortion, codifying Roe v. Wade just became alarmingly urgent for those who believe a person has the right to terminate their pregnancy. The landmark Roe decision legalized abortion on a national scale when it was handed down in 1973, but there’s […]
ART-Free Strategy Could Control HIV in Some African Kids
Roughly half of young children with HIV in Botswana treated with two broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) were able to remain virally suppressed for 24 weeks, even in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART), a researcher said. In a small proof-of-concept study of 25 children ages 2-5 years, 11 children (44%, 95% CI 24%-65%) who stopped […]
Testing Third Doses of COVID Vaccine in Transplant Patients
Last month, we reported in JAMA and here in MedPage Today that almost half of transplant patients show no antibodies after a full two-dose mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine series. We’ve also recently published that the antibody response is no better, and possibly even worse, with the single-dose Johnson & Johnson adenovirus vaccine. Combined with reports of […]
The ‘Healthy’ Pandemic Habit Secretly Messing With Your Mental Health
Spending more time at home ― as we’ve all been doing for over a year and a half ― has certainly had some perks. More time with family, less time commuting and more time wearing pants with an elastic waistband. One shift not on this list? The number of body image issues that have materialized […]