Dupilumab Cuts Lung Inflammation, Breaks Up Mucus Plugs in Asthma Patients
WASHINGTON — Dupilumab (Dupixent) reduced airway inflammation and increased lung capacity in patients with uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma, while also reducing troublesome mucus plugs, a multinational postmarketing study showed. In the randomized study, treatment with dupilumab led to significant reductions in airway inflammation at 24 weeks, with 57% achieving a fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level […]
CDC: Biennial Surge in Acute Flaccid Myelitis Has Come to a Halt
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) cases remained low in 2022, despite increased circulation of the enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in the U.S., according to an analysis of CDC data. AFM cases ranged from 28 to 47 per year from 2019 to 2022 — far lower than the 238 confirmed cases in 2018, Sarah Kidd, MD, from the […]
Light exercise could be the key to reversing childhood obesity linked to sedentariness
Increased sedentary time as a child through adolescence is directly linked to childhood obesity, but new research has found light physical activity may completely reverse the adverse process. The study — conducted in collaboration with between University of Exeter, University of Eastern Finland, University of Bristol, and University of Colorado and published in Nature Communications […]
Goodbye, Appendix. Hello, Crohn’s Disease?
ORLANDO – People who undergo appendectomy may have an increased risk for the development of Crohn’s disease (CD), but not ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed a pooled OR of 1.57 (95% CI 1.01-2.43, P<0.00001) for CD in those who had gotten surgery of the mucosa-and-gut lymphoid tissue […]
High cholesterol caused by childhood sedentariness could be reversed with light physical activity
Increased sedentary time in childhood can raise cholesterol levels by two thirds as an adult, leading to heart problems and even premature death — but a new study has found light physical activity may completely reverse the risks and is far more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The study was conducted in collaboration between the […]
Suicide Rates Among Black Women Rose Over 2 Decades
Suicide rates among Black women increased from 1999 to 2020, especially among teens and young adults, according to an analysis of national data. Among Black women ages 15 to 84, suicide rates rose from 2.1 per 100,000 in 1999 to 3.4 per 100,000 in 2020, according to Victoria Joseph, MPH, of the Columbia University Mailman […]
Longer Use of ADHD Meds May Boost Heart Risk
Longer use of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and arterial disease, a nested case-control study from Sweden showed. Risk of cardiovascular disease rose with longer cumulative exposure to the drugs, peaking at 3 to 5 years of use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.27, 95% […]
Longer Use of ADHD Meds May Boost Heart Risk
Longer use of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and arterial disease, a nested case-control study from Sweden showed. Risk of cardiovascular disease rose with longer cumulative exposure to the drugs, peaking at 3 to 5 years of use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.27, 95% […]
Impaired Neurodevelopment in Preemies Screened for Retinopathy: Nature or Nurture?
Having public health insurance was associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment among infants screened for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a retrospective cohort study suggested. In a diverse cohort of 706 premature neonates, public heath insurance was associated with an increased risk of moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment in cognitive and language domains, and […]
Red meat consumption associated with increased type 2 diabetes risk
People who eat just two servings of red meat per week may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to people who eat fewer servings, and the risk increases with greater consumption, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They also found that […]