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Editor's Pick
Junk food in pregnancy linked to higher allergy risk for babies – French review
Researchers have warned that billions of nanoparticles found in additives in junk food reach infants in the womb, probably changing their gut microbiome and...
Prone position shows benefits for patients with respiratory distress – global meta-analysis
COVID-19 patients can develop hypoxaemic respiratory failure, potentially necessitating hospitalisation for supplemental oxygen or ICU for mechanical ventilation, and although most will have mild...
Large global study finds air pollution link to 1m annual stillbirths
A global study has revealed that air pollution is responsible for almost 1m stillbirths every year, the research estimating that nearly half might be...
Excessive oxygen in surgery linked to renal, cardiac issues – US cohort study
Excessive amounts of supplemental oxygen, a foundational component of anaesthesia, can have harmful effects in some cases, a recent cohort study in the US...
COVID-19 patients show liver injury months after infection – US study
A recent study has found that COVID-19 infection might lead to liver injury that lasts long after the acute illness, said researchers in a...
No conclusive CVD risk link to ADHD medicines – Swedish meta-analysis
With the increase of medication prescribed for Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in recent years, concern has grown about the possible link with cardiac problems. However,...
Persistent asthma linked to increased heart disease risk – US study
A recent study found that people with persistent asthma had higher levels of inflammation and more artery plaque than those without asthma, suggesting they...
Hike in organ donations up after bike rallies, say experts
Major US motorcycle rallies were linked to increased organ donation and transplants, a retrospective cross-sectional study showed, with medical experts recommending that more safety...
Half of the world’s young people at risk for hearing loss: global meta-analysis
Some 1.35bn young people worldwide risk hearing loss due to “unsafe listening”, according to a study that found at least one in four people...
Long-term injuries, especially in the knees, common for cyclists – SA study
More than half of the injuries suffered by cyclists, especially men over 50, as after-effects of the more gruelling rides and events: the twinges...
Creatine supplements may have wider benefits than thought
Creatine is among the most well-researched and most popular nutritional supplements for exercise and athletic performance, but recent research suggests there’s much more to...
SA team devises cost-effective genetic breast and ovarian cancer screening
In a breakthrough that is hoped will reduce time, money and save lives, a Free State medical scientist in genetics and a PhD candidate...
Promising results from stage 2 MDR-TB STREAM – world’s largest trial
The world’s largest clinical trial for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has found that the two new shortened treatment regimens are safe and effective, and not...
Lab-grown blood administered to people in world-first clinical trial
Laboratory-grown blood has been put into people in a world-first clinical trial, with tiny amounts – equivalent to a couple of spoonfuls - being...
Undiagnosed diabetes cases highest in Gauteng – SA analysis
The growing burden of diabetes has long been under the radar in developing countries such as South Africa, which in recent years, has seen...
Insomnia and snoring linked to glaucoma – global study
A large study with more than 400 000 participants found a link between poor sleep and an increased risk of glaucoma, which can lead...
Hidden toll of delirium on hip fracture patients – 2022 report
Hundreds of elderly hip fracture patients suffer from undiagnosed delirium every year in Australian hospitals, leaving them vulnerable to serious complications and death, with...
Short walks could halve premature death risk – Spanish study
A study of more than 3 300 physically inactive people found that those who changed their habits saw a significant reduction in mortality.
Spanish scientists...
Common bacteria linked to higher mortality in kidney patients – US study
A usually harmless and common group of bacteria found in soil, water and shower heads has been associated with an increased risk of dying...
Gaming improves children’s cognitive performance – US study
A recent study suggests that video gaming could be associated with improved cognitive abilities involving response inhibition and working memory, and with alterations in...
Uterine cancer risk linked to hair-straightening products – US study
Scientists have linked frequent use of hair-straightening and other hair products to uterine cancer.
“We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners...
Exercise boosts protection derived from COVID jab – South African study
Regular physical activity may boost the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to research done by Discovery Vitality, which showed that a combination of...
Minimum of five hours’ sleep for good health and longevity – UK study
Researchers say chances of multiple chronic health problems in people older than 50, could be reduced if they have a minimum of five hours...
Menopausal hot flashes a possible marker for brain health – US study
Women who experience more hot flashes and night sweats during menopause may have more of a brain biomarker called white matter hyperintensities, which has...
Interaction with dogs boosts brain activity – Swiss study
The most recent research exploring the benefits of interactions with pets shows that prefrontal brain activation in healthy subjects increased with the rise in...
Scientists say older, common drugs could fight obesity, diabetes and other conditions
Scientists have pinpointed a range of commonly used medicines that could be repurposed to treat obesity and diabetes, as well as stomach ulcers and...
Older diabetes drugs linked to lower dementia risk – US study
People who took an older class of diabetes medication known as glitazones had a 22% lower risk of developing dementia, says BMJ Open Diabetes...
Weekly weightlifting might boost longevity – US study
It’s never too late to start lifting weights, according to a recent study, which found that adding weightlifting to your exercise regime, even in...
Men age faster than women, but younger generation is closing the gap
In the Western world, life expectancy rapidly increased in the 20th century, but women still have longer life expectancy than men, and in Finland,...
COVID-19 vaccination and menstrual cycle – global cohort study
COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a small and likely temporary change in menstrual cycle length but with no change in menses length, nor any...
MND risk for professional rugby players 15 times higher than average: Scottish study
Urgent action needs to be taken by rugby bosses to reduce head injuries after a study showing former international players are 15 times more...
Seven walnuts a day for improved health, reduced CVD risk– US study
People who eat walnuts have a better heart disease risk profile than those who don’t, gain less weight, and enjoy more physical activity compared...
400 UK cancer cases daily from junk food, alcohol and sunbathing
Around 400 preventable cancers are caught a day in the UK, experts have warned, listing fast food, alcohol and too much sun exposure as...
‘Bulk and cut’ dieting linked to eating disorders – Canadian study
Investigating the link between “bulking and cutting” diets and mental health in adolescents and young adults, researchers recently found this was associated with a...
Playing instruments linked to better cognition – Scottish study
Evidence suggests that people who play musical instruments are able to perform better in cognitive tests – and that even two years of such...
Drug trial shows relief for infants, children from eczema’s itch – US randomised study
The first study to treat moderate-to-severe eczema in infants and children six months to five-years-old with a biologic drug rather than immune-suppressing medications shows...
Walking faster more beneficial than walking further – Australian cohort study
While 10 000 steps a day is considered the golden standard to improve health, as few as 3 800 steps per day has benefits,...
Daily multivitamin may slow cognitive decline – randomised US study
While a recent study found that cocoa extract had no effect on improving cognitive ability in older people, it did find, however, that a...
Potential lifesaving blood test spots multiple cancer types early – Pathfinder study
Doctors have told health services to prepare for a new era of cancer screening after a study found a simple blood test could spot...
Artificial sweeteners’ link to higher risk of heart disease – French study
The harmful effects of added sugars have been long established for multiple chronic diseases, leading food companies to use artificial sweeteners instead in a...