Category Archives: Health

Diet Studies: Age-Related Macular Degeneration Linked To Processed, Refined And Fried Foods

From a Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News release:

Age-Related Macular Degeneration“Our work provides additional evidence that that diet matters,” Millen added. “From a public health standpoint, we can tell people that if you have early AMD, it is likely in your best interest to limit your intake of processed meat, fried food, refined grains, and high-fat dairy to preserve your vision over time.”

Participants who ate a diet high in red and processed meat, fried food, refined grains, and high-fat dairy were three times more likely to develop an eye condition that damages the retina and affects a person’s central vision, according to the results of a study, “Diet patterns and the incidence of age-related macular degeneration in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study,” from the University at Buffalo (UB) that appears in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The condition is called late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is irreversible and affects a person’s central vision, taking away their ability to drive, among other common daily activities.

To read more: https://www.genengnews.com/news/age-related-macular-degeneration-linked-to-diet-high-in-refined-processed-and-fried-foods/?utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=GEN+Daily+News+Highlights&utm_content=01&utm_campaign=GEN+Daily+News+Highlights_20191212&oly_enc_id=5678C5137845J4Z

Health Studies: Poor Sleep Associated With Non-Alzheimer’s Dementia And Impaired Cognition

From a University of Toronto Medicine article:

University of Toronto Medicine“There are two important takeaways from this paper. One is that poor sleep is associated with brain immune dysregulation or dysfunction,” says Lim, the corresponding author for the paper.

“The second part is that dysfunction appears to be further associated with impaired cognition.”

The study shows that in adults with fragmented sleep – where people were waking up repeatedly instead of sleeping soundly – there was an effect on microglia, and the cells showed signs of accelerated aging and other abnormalities.

The researchers were then able to identify that these changes in the microglia could be associated with worse cognition in older adults, both with and without Alzheimer’s disease.

To read full study: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/12/eaax7331

To read more: https://medicine.utoronto.ca/news/research-suggests-fragmented-sleep-may-affect-brain-s-immune-cells-impair-cognition

Health Studies: Sleep Problems Prevent Long-Term Recovery From Chronic Low Back Pain

From a MedScape online release:

Chronic Lower Back PainSleep problems may decrease the likelihood of recovery from chronic low back pain (LBP) over the long term and those who have musculoskeletal pain on top of insomnia have an even lower possibility of recovery, a study has found.

“The probability of recovery [from LBP] is especially low among persons who often/always experience sleeplessness and who also suffer from co-occurring musculoskeletal pain,” the researchers write.

The study took place over more than 10 years and also found the likelihood of recovery from chronic LBP decreased further among people with muscle and joint pains, in addition to sleeplessness.

The researchers conducted a prospective cohort study that included 3712 women and 2488 men aged at least 20 years who participated in the HUNT study, one of the largest, longest running health studies in Norway. HUNT began in 1984 and has data on over 120,000 participants.

To read more: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/922338

Medical Technology: “TeleNeurology” Remote Consultations Are As Effective As Office Visits

From a Becker’s Hospital Review online release:

Neurology Journal December 2019Telemedicine extends care accessibility to people with epilepsy, who may be unable to drive to appointments, as well as people with mobility issues stemming from neurologic disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Virtual care also helps address geographic barriers by allowing patients in rural areas to see a neurologist through telemedicine technology instead of having to travel hours for in-person care, said lead author Jaime Hatcher-Martin, MD, PhD, a member of AAN, according to the news release.

Teleneurology is Neurology Dec 4 2019

The studies’ analysis found that patients and their caregivers were equally satisfied with virtual physician visits and in-person appointments. Some studies showed that the use of telemedicine is as effective as in-person care to make accurate diagnoses. However, the researchers noted that there have been few randomized, controlled studies on telemedicine for neurology apart from stroke care.

To read more: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/telehealth/telemedicine-may-be-as-effective-for-neurological-disorders-as-in-person-office-visits-analysis-finds.html

Health Studies: Aspirin Use 3+ Times Per Week Reduces “All-Cause” Cancers In Older Adults (JAMA)

From a JAMA Open Network online release:

JAMAThis cohort study included 146 152 individuals from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial and found that aspirin use 3 or more times per week was associated with reduced risk of all-cause, cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and colorectal cancer mortality.

Importance  Aspirin use has been associated with reduced risk of cancer mortality, particularly of the colorectum. However, aspirin efficacy may be influenced by biological characteristics, such as obesity and age. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and conflicting data regarding the effect of aspirin in older adults, understanding the potential association of aspirin use with cancer mortality according to body mass index (BMI) and age is imperative.

Objectives  To investigate the association of aspirin use with risk of all-cause, any cancer, gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, and colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality among older adults and to perform an exploratory analysis of the association of aspirin use with mortality stratified by BMI.

Design, Setting, Participants  This cohort study evaluated aspirin use among participants aged 65 years and older in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial at baseline (November 8, 1993, to July 2, 2001) and follow-up (2006-2008). Analysis began in late 2018 and was completed in September 2019.

To read more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2756258

Healthcare Studies: High Level Of Depression Symptoms In Physicians Linked To Medical Errors

From a JAMA Network online release:

JAMAThis systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies involving 21 517 physicians demonstrated an association between physician depressive symptoms and an increased risk for perceived medical errors (RR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.63-2.33). We also found that the magnitude of the associations of physician depressive symptoms and perceived medical errors were relatively consistent across studies that assessed training and practicing physicians, providing additional evidence that physician depression has implications for the quality of care delivered by physicians at different career stages.

Medical errors are a major source of patient harm. Studies estimate that, in the United States, as many as 98 000 to 251 000 hospitalized patients die each year as result of a preventable adverse event.14 In addition, medical errors are a major source of morbidity5 and account for billions of dollars in financial losses to health care systems every year.69

Depressive symptoms are highly prevalent among physicians,10,11 and several studies have investigated the associations between physician depressive symptoms and medical errors.1216 Although most studies on physician depressive symptoms and medical errors have identified a substantial association, their results are not unanimous, and questions regarding the direction of these associations remain open in recent literature.17

To read more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2755851?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=112719

Health Study: Death From Heart Disease Four Times Higher In Women With “Poor Exercise Capacity”

From a European Society of Cardiology online release:

European Society of Cardiology ESCThe annual rate of death from cardiovascular disease was nearly four times higher in women with poor, compared to good, exercise capacity (2.2% versus 0.6%). Annual cancer deaths were doubled in patients with poor, compared to good, exercise capacity (0.9% versus 0.4%). The annual rate of death from other causes was more than four times higher in those with poor, compared to good, exercise capacity (1.4% vs. 0.3%).

Women who can exercise vigorously are at significantly lower risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and other causes. The research is presented today at EuroEcho 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

During a median follow-up of 4.6 years there were 345 cardiovascular deaths, 164 cancer deaths, and 203 deaths from other causes. After adjusting for factors that could influence the relationship, METs were significantly associated with lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other causes.

To read more: https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Women-exercise-and-longevity

Healthcare Podcasts: Analysis Of Health Spending & Pending Legislation In The U.S.

What The Health KHNHealth spending in the U.S. grew to $3.6 trillion in 2018, according to a new report from the federal government. The rate of growth — 4.6% — was up slightly from 2017’s 4.2%, despite the fact that nearly a million more Americans lacked insurance.

Meanwhile, Congress has less than two weeks to finish a year’s worth of work, including the spending bills required to keep the government running and promised legislation to address “surprise” medical bills and prescription drug prices.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News.

Diet Studies: “10-Hour Time -Restricted Eating” (TRE) Lowers Weight, Visceral Fat & Blood Pressure

From a Cell Metabolism online study release:

Cell Metabolism December 2019Ten-hour time-restricted eating (TRE) limits daily dietary intake to a consistent 10-h window, creating a 14-h nightly fast. Researchers studied whether TRE for 12 weeks in people with metabolic syndrome receiving standard medical care (including medications to lower cholesterol and blood pressure) improves markers of health. TRE led to weight loss, healthier body composition (including decreased waist circumference), lower blood pressure and levels of cardiovascular disease-promoting lipids (i.e., “bad cholesterol” levels), and more restful sleep. TRE could be an effective dietary intervention to help those with metabolic syndrome.

10 Hour Time Restricted Eating (TRE) Benefits

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is an emerging dietary intervention that aims to maintain a consistent daily cycle of feeding and fasting to support robust circadian rhythms (Panda, 2016). Circadian regulation of the endocrine system, autonomic nervous system, and nutrient metabolism contributes to metabolic and physiological homeostasis (Asher and Sassone-Corsi, 2015,Panda, 2016). Both erratic eating patterns and eating over an extended period of time during the 24-h day can disrupt circadian rhythms.

To read entire study: https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(19)30611-4

Aging: “The Modern Epidemic Of Loneliness” (UC San Diego Video)

loneliness-epidemic.jpgAs societal stresses have increased, loneliness and social isolation have become silent killers. Dilip Jeste, MD, a geriatric neuropsychiatrist who specializes in successful aging, explains how loneliness has become an epidemic, the risk factors, helpful interventions, and how we can harness wisdom for compassion, self regulation, and more.

Website: https://www.uctv.tv/shows/35226