Early exposure to antibiotics might increase a kid’s risk of asthma by altering their gut bacteria, a new mouse study finds. Antibiotics could specifically lower gut production of indole propionic acid (IPA), a biochemical that’s crucial to long-term protection against asthma, researchers reported July 15 in the journal Immunity. “We have discovered that a consequence… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Could Living in Poor Neighborhoods Fuel Prostate Cancer in Black Men? Study Says It Might
The stress of living in a poor neighborhood might contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in Black men, a new study warns. Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than white men, and more likely to develop it as well, the researchers noted. This could be due… read on > read on >
How to Predict Who Will Respond to Glaucoma Treatment — and Who Won’t
An experimental blood test might be able to predict whether glaucoma patients will continue to lose their vision following treatment, researchers report. A biochemical called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) tends to be lower in people with glaucoma compared to those without the eye disease, researchers found. What’s more, glaucoma patients with lower NAD levels than… read on > read on >
Safe Pregnancies Possible After Stem Cell Treatment for Blood Cancer
Women who’ve undergone stem cell treatments for blood cancers, or for illnesses such as sickle cell disease, can successfully bring a pregnancy to term, new research shows. The German findings run counter to the perceived wisdom on this issue: Many such patients are typically told that safe pregnancies are out of the question if they’ve… read on > read on >
Late Cancer Diagnosis Biggest Health Concern for Most, Poll Shows
When it comes to health worries, cancer leads the way, a new poll shows. The University of Cambridge poll included 2,000 adults who said their biggest concern is getting diagnosed with cancer when it’s too late to treat it. Seven in 10 respondents have that fear, while 52% fret about the impact of a cancer diagnosis… read on > read on >
Could OTC Nasal Sprays Ease Colds & Flu and Cut Antibiotic Use?
Over-the-counter nasal sprays could be a potent weapon against a major public health threat — antibiotic resistance, researchers report. Their analysis, which looked at data from nearly 14,000 adults, found that common nasal sprays could help keep upper respiratory tract infections at bay, reducing the need for antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance caused by overuse and misuse… read on > read on >
Some Diabetes Drugs May Lower Dementia Risk
Some diabetes drugs appear to lower the risk that people with type 2 diabetes will develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, a new evidence review says. The risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s is significantly lower in patients treated with metformin or a class of meds called “sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors”, compared with other diabetes drugs,… read on > read on >
Too Little, Too Much: Poor Sleep Linked to Vessel Damage in Those With Diabetes
Diabetics who sleep too little or too much are more likely to suffer damage to their small blood vessels, a condition that can cause organ damage throughout their bodies. Short sleep duration is tied to a 2.6 times increased risk of small blood vessel damage, also known as microvascular disease, in people with diabetes, a… read on > read on >
Some Youths Still Taking Opioids Months After Surgery
Many tweens and teens are filling prescriptions for opioids far in advance of surgeries unlikely to be associated with severe pain afterward, a new study says. Worse, a significant minority continue to fill those opioid prescriptions three to six months after surgery, a sign of possible addiction, researchers found. “Our study found that these patients… read on > read on >
Thousands of Hospital Patients in Oregon May Have Been Exposed to Hepatitis, HIV
After an anesthesiologist may have exposed thousands of people treated at several hospitals in Oregon to hepatitis and HIV, those patients are being advised to get tested for the diseases. Two health care providers in Portland — Providence and Legacy Health — have been told to offer the tests as a safety precaution. “We recently… read on > read on >