Toilet bowls reveal much about the health of a community, alerting scientists to coming outbreaks of flu and other seasonal viruses, researchers say. “Just one flush can hold a lot of information,” said Kristine Du, co-author of a new Canadian study. “Wastewater surveillance equips public health experts, clinicians, policymakers and the public with community-based, objective… read on > read on >
In rare cases, some patients may develop an autoimmune disease following a bout of COVID, Korean researchers report. Conditions such as alopecia (hair loss), psoriasis, vitiligo (white skin patches), vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, adult-onset Still’s disease (painful skin rash), Sjogren’s syndrome (autoimmune disease), ankylosing spondylitis (spinal arthritis) and… read on > read on >
For people with tough-to-treat epilepsy, seizures can be both frightening and dangerous, but a new experimental pill may bring significant relief to over one-third of them. Dubbed XEN1101, the new drug reduced the frequency of seizures by more than 50%, or even eliminated them, in some patients with focal epilepsy who did not respond to… read on > read on >
It has long been believed that the 1918 flu pandemic disproportionately affected healthy young adults, but a study of human remains tells a different story. Together, Canadian and American researchers found that preexisting medical conditions like asthma and lower income increased the likelihood of death, just as in other pandemics, including COVID-19. “Our circumstances —… read on > read on >
A majority of people who have a minimally invasive heart valve replacement procedure are not getting the recommended cardiac rehab after their surgeries, researchers say. A new study finds that just under 31% of patients who have transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are receiving this service within 90 days of the procedure. This could be… read on > read on >
As many doctors and patients hail the advent of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy as the perfect fix for obesity, some experts are urging caution. The drugs are not well-tolerated by everyone struggling with obesity. For some folks, the weight piles back on as soon as the medication stops. There are also financial and… read on > read on >
A California bill would have made free condoms available for high schoolers, but it was vetoed Sunday by Gov. Gavin Newsom because of cost. California has a budget deficit of $30 billion, Newsom noted in his veto of Senate Bill 541. This bill, plus several other measures lawmakers passed, would have increased state budget costs… read on > read on >
Croup can be a scary thing for new parents to watch their babies struggle with, so here is a primer on what it is and how to best treat it. Croup is a common respiratory illness, characterized by a narrowing of the main airway (the trachea), just below the vocal cords. It can be caused… read on > read on >
Exercise has been dubbed “nature’s antidepressant” by doctors for years, and now a new study confirms the notion. The finding follows a four-month look at the impact that running had on anxiety and depression when compared to a common antidepressant. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) work by boosting levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s a… read on > read on >
For a subset of patients with advanced lung cancer, radiation therapy can sometimes substantially extend their lives. Now a new study hints that a blood test could be used to identify the people most likely to benefit. Right now, there is no way to cure stage 4, or metastatic, lung cancer — where the disease… read on > read on >
