Noninvasive Nerve Stimulator May Ease Sleep Apnea
Using a transcutaneous electrical neurostimulator (TENS) machine may reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in people not adhering to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, a small single-center randomized trial suggested. After 3 months, the difference in apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) scores in unadjusted analysis significantly favored the TENS group versus the usual-care group […]
IMRT Dosing Strategy Eases Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer
In patients with head and neck cancer, a strategy to reduce the radiation dose to dysphagia-and aspiration-related structures improved swallowing and other functional outcomes compared with standard intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), according to results from the phase III DARS trial. Patients treated with dysphagia-optimized (DO) IMRT had significantly higher patient-reported composite scores on the MD Anderson […]
Vitamin D for Cardiovascular Prevention Runs Into Another Wall
Monthly super-sized vitamin D supplements failed to significantly reduce major cardiovascular events in older adults, the Australian D-Health Trial found. Over up to 5 years of treatment, incident myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and coronary revascularization turned up in 6% of the vitamin D group and 6.6% of the placebo group (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.81-1.01), […]
Masking Yields Small Reduction in COVID Risk, Review Concludes
Use of masks in both community settings and healthcare settings may slightly reduce risk of COVID-19, but the evidence base leaves much to be desired, the final installment of a living, rapid review of multiple studies found. “The strength of evidence remained low for reduced risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection with surgical masks versus no mask […]
Fresh produce contaminated with toxic BPA-like chemicals found in food labels: BPA is banned in some countries but similar chemicals like BPS are still allowed
Steps were taken in Canada to reduce the use of Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical linked to prostate and breast cancer, commonly found in plastics, the lining of food cans, water bottles, and paper receipts. But in many cases, it has been replaced with similar hormone disrupting chemicals, like Bisphenol S (BPS). A new […]
Assessing the risk of excess folic acid intake
It is well established that folic acid supplementation can significantly reduce the risk of birth defects, including neural tube defects like spina bifida, the most common birth defect of the central nervous system and the second most common of all structural birth defects. More than 80 nations, including the U.S. 25 years ago, have established […]
Simulated driving program reduces crash risk for teens with ADHD in small study: Program teaches teens to avoid long glances away from roadway
A program that combines computer-based and driving simulator training may reduce the proportion of crashes and near crashes among teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a small study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Teens who took the training, which aims to reduce the number of long glances away from the roadway, had […]
Parents, Providers Still Not Following Guidelines for Early Peanut Introduction
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — NIH guidelines call for introducing babies to peanut products at around age 6 months to reduce allergy risk, but most U.S. parents said they waited much longer to introduce peanuts to their child’s diet, according to a nationally representative survey. Only about one in 20 caregiver responders said they introduced peanuts before […]
Oxygen Concentration During Surgery: No Help for Post-Op Nausea, Vomiting
NEW ORLEANS — There was no benefit to giving patients supplemental oxygen during surgery to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), according to a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial. The multiple cross-over cluster trial had eight isolated operating rooms randomized to alternate between 80% versus 30% fractions of inspired oxygen every 2 weeks […]
Does the Mediterranean diet really decrease your risk of dementia?
A number of studies have suggested that eating a healthy diet may reduce a person’s risk of dementia, but a new study has found that two diets including the Mediterranean diet are not linked to a reduced risk of dementia. The study is published in the October 12, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical […]