Finding the right medication for rheumatoid arthritis isn’t easy, and a newer pill against the disease carries higher risks of heart attack, stroke and cancer than older RA drugs, a new clinical trial confirms. The study was mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after earlier safety signals about the drug, called tofacitinib (Xeljanz).…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 is changing medicine in yet another way: A new study finds that patients with COVID-related lung damage now account for nearly one in 10 lung transplants in the United States. The researchers analyzed data on more than 3,000 lung transplants nationwide between Aug. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021. They found that 7% of…  read on >  read on >

It’s frightening to see your child have a fever-related (febrile) seizure, but researchers are learning more about who’s more susceptible. An international study has identified seven new genes associated with febrile seizures, or febrile convulsions, in young children. Febrile seizures are defined as seizures in children younger than age 5 who have a fever above…  read on >  read on >

A one-two punch from science has clearly tagged the mononucleosis virus, Epstein-Barr, as a major cause of multiple sclerosis. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) appears to trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) by tricking the immune systems of some into attacking their body’s own nerve cells, a new study indicates. “We demonstrated that a specific protein in EBV…  read on >  read on >

Allopurinol, a frequently used gout medication, does not appear to drive up the risk for dying among gout patients who also struggle with chronic kidney disease, new research shows. The finding is based on an analysis of two decades worth of British health records. And it may put to rest recent concerns regarding a well-known…  read on >  read on >

Belly fat is usually unwelcome, but new research suggests it may actually be good for something: relief from foot pain. A small pilot study suggests that an injection of a patient’s own fat cells can help ease the often-excruciating heel pain brought on by a condition known as plantar fasciitis. “We take a small amount…  read on >  read on >

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, are closely connected to heart health. They are affected by everyday actions and rank among the nation’s leading causes of death. That’s the portrait of brain health that emerges from the American Heart Association’s “Heart Disease…  read on >  read on >

U.S. hospitals continue to reel from the pressure posed by the ongoing pandemic, facing critical workforce shortages and rising labor costs that amount to a “national emergency,” hospital executives say. Nearly 1,400 hospitals — 31% of the nation’s total — are on the verge of critical staffing shortages, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).…  read on >  read on >