Doctors can accurately predict a person’s risk of fatty liver disease as early as 16 years before symptoms develop, a new study says. A blood test looking for five specific proteins can predict metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), more commonly known as fatty liver disease, researchers are scheduled to report at the upcoming Digestive…  read on >  read on >

Treating anemia during pregnancy might lower the risk of heart defects in newborns, a new study says. Women with anemia in early pregnancy have a 47% increased risk of giving birth to a child with a heart defect, researchers reported April 23 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. “We already know that…  read on >  read on >

Women suffering from urinary incontinence might have a greater risk of heart disease, a new study says. Women who struggle with bladder control are more likely to have risk factors associated with heart health problems, including type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, researchers reported in the Journal of Preventive Medicine. They also are more likely…  read on >  read on >

Overuse of antibiotics might increase kids’ risk of developing asthma and allergies, by disrupting their gut bacteria during a crucial stage of child development, a new study says. Exposure to antibiotics prior to age 2 is associated with a 24% increased risk of asthma and 33% increased risk of food allergies in later childhood, researchers…  read on >  read on >

Folks are less likely to recover successfully from a total hip replacement if they have poor muscle quality going into the procedure, a small-scale study says. Patients whose MRI scans revealed fatty hip muscle prior to surgery were more likely to perform poorly on movement tasks following hip replacement, researchers reported today in the Journal…  read on >  read on >

Microplastics could be contributing to clogged arteries, increasing people’s risk of heart attack or stroke, a new study says. Fatty plaques in neck arteries can contain more than 50 times as much microplastics as are found in arteries free of plaques, researchers reported Tuesday at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Baltimore. These…  read on >  read on >