If you’re over 75, being screened for colon cancer could save your life, a new study says. This week, the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age to begin colon cancer screening from 50 to 45 for people without a family history of colon cancer, but did not change its advice to… read on > read on >
For patients with severe ankle arthritis, total ankle replacement provides better function over the long haul than the traditional surgical treatment, a new study finds. Researchers assessed outcomes in 517 patients with end-stage ankle arthritis — meaning they have a complete loss of cartilage resulting in “bone-on-bone” contact in the ankle joint. The result is… read on > read on >
A small but significant percentage of Americans take medications that can hamper their immune system and its response to COVID-19 vaccines, researchers say. Their analysis of data from more than 3 million adults under 65 with private insurance found that nearly 3% take immunosuppressive drugs. Those include chemotherapy medications and steroids such as prednisone. Two-thirds… read on > read on >
If you’ve ever wished you had an extra hand to accomplish a task, never fear, scientists are working on that. But a new study raises questions about how such technology could affect your brain. The findings come from ongoing research into a 3D-printed robotic thumb known as “Third Thumb.” It’s worn on a person’s dominant… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — The rate of deaths related to diabetes and high blood pressure among Black people over the past two decades improved in urban areas, according to a new study, but rural communities are lagging. Scientists have known for years that people in rural areas of the U.S.… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — New research into the growing problem of early childhood obesity suggests the bacteria in a baby’s gut may indicate weight problems in the years to come. Researchers examined gut microbiota – bacteria and other microbes in the digestive system – of babies, as well as their… read on > read on >
A new coronavirus that appears to have jumped from a dog to a child has been discovered from a case three years ago, but it’s unclear what threat it may pose. This new canine-like coronavirus was found in a child in Malaysia in 2018. If it is confirmed as a human pathogen, it could be… read on > read on >
For people worried about developing dementia due to their family history, a preliminary study offers some good news: A healthy lifestyle might curb your risk. Researchers found that older adults with healthy habits had a lower risk of developing dementia, versus the less health-conscious — even if a parent or sibling had suffered from the… read on > read on >
Virginia Terrell knew she wouldn’t be allowed visitors after she checked into the hospital with COVID-19 late last month, but being braced for that reality didn’t make her week-and-a-half stay any easier. “You get pretty lonely,” said Terrell, 59, who was treated at WakeMed and Duke Health hospitals in Raleigh, N.C. “It’s helpful knowing that… read on > read on >
Fully vaccinated people will likely need a COVID-19 booster shot within about a year, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert and Pfizer’s CEO said Wednesday. “We know that the vaccine durability of the efficacy lasts at least six months, and likely considerably more, but I think we will almost certainly require a booster sometime within… read on > read on >
