April 14, 2021
Vitamin D and Pain Management in Sickle Cell Disease
For people with sickle cell disease (SCD), pain is the most common reason for visiting the emergency department. A reduction in pain could drastically improve quality of life for these individuals. This study, published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, examines the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and pain related to SCD. This study relied on...
Pulmonary Complications in Latinos With Sickle Cell Disease
Among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), pulmonary complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Due to the prevalence of SCD among individuals of African descent, research has primarily focused on how SCD impacts Black Americans, medically and socioeconomically. This study shines a light on SCD in Hispanic Americans. This retrospective study included...
Racism Harms Patients With Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a painful disease afflicting over 100,000 Americans. Patients often deal with painful periods of vaso-occlusion associated with stigma, racism, and other adverse social outcomes. SCD is the most commonly detected condition in newborn screening programs. Although it is often associated with Black individuals, it is still commonly detected in the...
Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease
People with sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease (SCD) experience faster rates of GFR decline than people with normal hemoglobin phenotypes. This study from the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology sought to understand how acute kidney injury (AKI) risk compares in individuals with sickle cell trait, SCD, and individuals with normal hemoglobin phenotypes....
USPSTF Finds Evidence Insufficient for Vitamin D Screening
WEDNESDAY, April 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to ascertain the balance of benefits and harms of screening asymptomatic adults for vitamin D deficiency. These findings form the basis of a final recommendation statement published in the April 13 issue of the...
Excess Body Weight Tied to Higher Health Costs Across BMI Levels
WEDNESDAY, April 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Excess body weight is associated with higher health care costs across body mass index (BMI) levels, according to a study published online March 24 in PLOS ONE. Zachary J. Ward, M.P.H., Ph.D., from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues used data...
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Stem Cell Clinical Trials
In a study published in Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, two researchers analyze racial/ethnic disparities in stem cell clinical trials. They note that racial/ethnic representation is critical in stem cell research because allelic polymorphism among races/ethnicities can affect stem cell compatibility. Moreover, these polymorphisms affect other clinical outcomes such as drug metabolism/sensitivity and treatment success. ...
ADHD Prevalence Higher Among Blacks Than General Population
Black individuals may be at higher risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than the general U.S. population, according to a review published online Sept. 9 in JAMA Psychiatry. Jude Mary Cénat, Ph.D., from University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to estimate the pooled prevalence of ADHD and...
FDA Approves First New Children's ADHD Drug in 10 Years
The first new drug developed in over a decade for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Qelbree, also known as viloxazine, comes in a capsule that is taken daily, and is not a stimulant. This makes it harder to abuse than older ADHD drugs,...