March 31, 2021
Upadacitinib Beats Placebo for Psoriatic Arthritis
WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For patients with psoriatic arthritis, upadacitinib at a dose of 15 mg or 30 mg once daily is more effective than placebo, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Iain B. McInnes, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of...
'Avoidable Hospitalizations:' Another Way the Pandemic Is Tougher on Minorities
White Americans had a greater decline in potentially avoidable hospitalizations during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic than Black Americans, according to a new study. The findings suggest that Black patients may have had less access to outpatient care that could have helped keep them out of the hospital for non-COVID health problems. Researchers...
Odds of MetS Lower With Adherence to Exercise, Diet Guidelines
WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Adhering to regular physical activity and a healthy diet in midlife is associated with a reduced risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS), according to a study published online March 31 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Joowon Lee, Ph.D., from the Boston University School of Medicine, and...
Aflibercept Cuts Vision-Threatening Complications of Diabetic Retinopathy
WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For eyes with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), aflibercept injection is associated with a reduction in the proportion developing center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME) with vision loss or high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), according to a study published online March 30 in JAMA Ophthalmology. Raj K. Maturi, M.D., from...
Tobacco Use Up During Early COVID-19 Lockdown
WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Existing smokers or users of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) report increased use during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, according to a study published online March 1 in the International Journal of Drug Policy. Daniel P. Giovenco, Ph.D., from Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues conducted semistructured...
Community Exposures Tied to SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity in HCWs
WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Community exposures, but not workplace factors, are associated with seropositivity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among health care personnel (HCP), according to a study published online March 10 in JAMA Network Open. Jesse T. Jacob, M.D., from Emory University in Atlanta, and colleagues conducted a...
Death Risk Nearly Doubles When COVID Strikes People With Heart Failure
Patients who suffer from acute heart failure may be nearly twice as likely to die if they get COVID-19, a new study finds. “Our results support prioritizing heart failure patients for COVID-19 vaccination once it is available,” said researcher Dr. Amardeep Dastidar, a consultant interventional cardiologist at North Bristol NHS Trust and Bristol Heart Institute...
Time to Angioplasty Is Crucial for Better Heart Attack Outcomes
When a heart attack begins, the time it takes until the blockage in a coronary artery is cleared is critical in preventing further damage to the heart, a new study warns. The amount of damage is directly related to how long it takes from the start of a heart attack to when patients receive an...
Black Adults Face 4 Times the Odds for Stroke as Whites
Once Black Americans reach age 40, their blood pressure often begins a rapid climb, putting them at significantly higher risk of stroke than their white counterparts, a new study warns. Middle-aged Black people have roughly four times the stroke risk faced by white Americans, according to the analysis of data from nearly 5,100 patients. “High...