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Editor's Pick
Pharmacological BP reduction: Viable treatment option despite old age
Contrary to existing international guidelines on age-related blood-pressure thresholds, a meta-analysis in The Lancet found that pharmacological blood pressure reduction is effective into old...
From couch to ultra-marathon: mental imagery in race completion
Using a behavioural change imaging technique, a group of non-runners was successfully brought to ultra-marathon fitness standards, found a small British study.
The study, led...
Monoclonal antibody can prevent malaria for up to 9 months — NIH trial
One dose of a new monoclonal antibody discovered and developed at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), safely prevented malaria for up to...
High Intensity Training regimen may inhibit prostate cancer growth — ERASE trial
Rigorous exercise not only boosted cardiorespiratory fitness, but also improved indicators of prostate cancer biochemical progression in patients undergoing active surveillance, according to results...
New index calculates the minute-cost or benefit to healthy life of 6,000 foods
A new epidemiology-based Health Nutritional Index (HENI), developed at the University of Michigan and published in published in Nature Food, calculates the net beneficial...
Histone deacetylase inhibitor gel efficacious for basal cell carcinoma — Phase II trial
The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, remetinostat gel, is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), as an alternative to surgical excision,...
Fans matter: Effect of empty stadiums on ‘home advantage’ — 11-country, 15-league analysis
The elimination of so-called “home advantage” because pandemic restrictions meant games were played in football stadiums empty of spectators meant fewer goals, fewer points...
Child poverty associated with smaller, slower-growing subcortical regions — 17-year study
Children in poverty are more likely to have cognitive and behavioural difficulties than their better-off peers, a 17-year US study has found.
Plenty of past...
Statins may significantly improve survival in triple-negative breast cancer
A significant association was found between cholesterol-lowering drugs, commonly known as statins, and survival rates of triple-negative breast cancer patients, found a study led...
Novel ketogenic dietary supplement well tolerated and reduced epileptic seizures – UK study
A novel dietary supplement, as part of a ketogenic diet, was linked with a statistically significant reduction in the number of seizures in severe...
Driving patterns identified by GPS can pinpoint early Alzheimer's Disease
Use of GPS to monitor subtle shifts in on-road behaviour can accurately distinguish cognitively normal older drivers with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease from those without...
Soccer: Defenders and outfielders have up to 5x greater dementia risk
The position played and career length have been identified as particular risk factors for UK footballers and their increased risks of dementia, according to...
Female surgeons face more major pregnancy complications
A US study in JAMA Surgery found that 48% of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications, with those who operated 12-or-more hours per week...
Single-shot abelacimab cuts venous thromboembolism risk in knee surgery
A single abelacimab injection prevents blood clots for up to a month after surgery, reducing risk by about 80% compared with enoxaparin, without increasing...
Increase in liver injury linked to herbal and dietary supplements — Australian study
The number of patients being admitted to hospital with severe liver injuries caused by herbal and dietary supplements claiming to promote muscle growth or...
Cognitively active lifestyle may delay onset of Alzheimer's dementia by five years
A cognitively active lifestyle — reading, writing letters and playing card games or puzzles — in old age (80+) may delay the onset of...
Prohibitions against caffeine to reduce cardiac arrhythmias ‘unwarranted’ — UK cohort study
Common prohibitions against caffeine to reduce arrhythmia risk are likely unwarranted, with coffee drinkers not at heightened risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias, a large...
Whole grains linked to smaller increases in waist size, BP and blood sugar
Middle- to older-aged adults who ate at least three servings of whole grains daily had smaller increases in waist size, blood pressure (BP), and...
Elite athletes react differently to an audience — German biathlon study
Having an audience has a different effect on men compared to women, found a German study on biathlon athletes, reports MedicalBrief. In the presence...
Starchy snacks linked to 50% greater CVD and all‐cause mortality risk
Starchy snacks after any meal were associated with at least a 50% increased risk of mortality and a 44%-57% increased risk of cardiovascular disease...
NHS pilots simple blood test that screens for 50 types of cancer
A simple blood test that can detect more than 50 types of cancer in asymptomatic patients is accurate enough to be rolled out as...
COVID-19, not Pfizer vaccine, tied to Bell’s palsy — 2 studies
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has not been linked with a higher risk for the facial nerve paralysis known as Bell's palsy, but COVID-19 itself does...
Bariatric surgery linked to decreased stroke risk – Canadian study
Canadian researchers have found that obese people who had bariatric surgery to reduce their weight appeared to get an added benefit of a markedly...
Diabetes drug shows promise for COVID-19 lung inflammation
Researchers have identified the molecular mechanism for the anti-inflammatory activity of diabetes drug metformin, reports the University of California – San Diego. They say...
England on track to achieve elimination of HIV transmission by 2030
The annual number of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men in England is likely to have fallen dramatically, from 2,770...
‘Laughing gas’ has rapid, lasting antidepressant effect — Phase II trial
The anaesthetic drug nitrous oxide - otherwise known as laughing gas - can significantly improve symptoms in people with treatment-resistant depression, found a University...
Regeneron treatment cuts COVID-19 mortality by 20% — RECOVERY trial
The world‘s largest trial of COVID-19 therapeutics has provided the first convincing evidence that a therapy that directly attacks the virus can save hospitalised...
Trials stopped early as benefits shown for olaparib in breast cancer
Women with hereditary breast cancer, triggered by the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, stand a better chance of survival following successful trials of a drug...
Fruit but not fruit juice to lower type 2 diabetes risk — AusDiab study
People who consume two servings of fruit per day have 36% lower odds of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consume less than...
Ramadan fasting and cardiovascular disease — Newham University recommendations
Expert consensus says Muslim patients at high cardiovascular risk should not observe strict fasting during Ramadan, writes MedicalBrief.
While recommendations on ‘safeʼ fasting exist for...
Stringent diet puts diabetes into remission and cuts need for BP medication
Achieving and maintaining substantial weight loss allowed 8 out of 10 people remission from type 2 diabetes, as well as lowering blood pressure and...
Overweight substantially worsens liver-damaging effects of excessive alcohol use
People in the overweight or obese range who drink alcohol to levels beyond UK guidelines are at significantly greater risk of liver disease and...
Experts urge action to reduce global burden of cardiovascular disease in women
Urgent action is needed to improve care and prevention, fill knowledge gaps and increase awareness about cardiovascular disease in women, according to a report...
Optogenetics breakthrough restores partial sight in retinitis pigmentosa
A man blind with retinitis pigmentosa has had glimmers of vision restored using a high-tech treatment using optogenetics, which involves genetically altering nerve cells...
Regular milk consumption not associated with increased cholesterol
Regular consumption of milk is not associated with increased levels of cholesterol, according to an almost 2m-person Mendelian analysis, published in the International Journal...
Minimum nurse-to-patient ratios cut mortality risk by up to 11% — Australia study
Research examining the effect of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios has found it reduces the risks of those in care dying by up to 11%. The...
Annual screening for ovarian cancer does not save lives — Large UK trial
Annual screening for ovarian cancer can detect tumours earlier but does not save lives, one of the largest studies ever conducted on the UK...
Dental treatment does not increase SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk — Small US study
Dental treatment is not a factor in increasing the risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic patients and that standard infection control practices are...
Even obese vegetarians who smoke and drink have healthier biomarkers than meat-eaters
Vegetarians have a healthier biomarker profile than meat-eaters, and this applies to adults of any age and weight, and is also unaffected by smoking...
Psychological distress doubles the risk of subsequent cardiac events
Adults who reported severe psychological distress — such as depression or anxiety — after suffering a heart attack were more than twice as likely...