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Early menopause puts women at greater risk of dementia later in life

Women who enter menopause very early, before age 40, were found to be more likely to develop dementia of any type later in life compared to women who begin menopause at the average menopause-onset age of 50 to 51 years, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Conference 2022.

1 Mar 2022

COVID-19 severity is correlated with body composition

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers assessed the effect of changes in the abdominal well-being and physique on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

28 Feb 2022

Neanderthal gene makes people susceptible to COVID-19, but protects against HIV

A study recently published in the top-tier journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) shows how a specific gene flow from Neandertals can act as a double-edged sword by increasing the risk for the development of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and at the same time decreasing the risk for the infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

23 Feb 2022

Poor sleep increases severity of viral respiratory infections including COVID-19

A new study explores the risk of respiratory infection with poor sleep in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

22 Feb 2022

Higher consumption of vegetables unlikely to affect cardiovascular disease risk, study shows

A sufficient intake of vegetables is important for maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding a wide range of diseases.

21 Feb 2022

Study suggests folic acid supplementation linked to increased risk for COVID-19 diagnosis

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers evaluated if folic acid or methotrexate use impacts the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis or associated mortality in the United Kingdom (UK).

15 Feb 2022

Brains of adults with heart-healthy lifestyle are larger and show fewer signs of injury, research finds

On imaging tests, brains were larger and showed fewer signs of injury in early to late middle-aged adults (ages 40-69 years) who had nearly ideal cardiovascular health, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2022, a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health to be held in person in New Orleans and virtually, Feb. 8-11, 2022.

3 Feb 2022

Study suggests an etiological link between obesity and female reproductive disorders

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing female reproductive disorders, however, the roles and mechanisms of obesity in the cause(s) of reproductive conditions are unclear.

1 Feb 2022

Weekly alcohol intake of less than 14 units still increases the risk of cardiovascular events

Drinking less than the UK's recommended limit of 14 units of alcohol per week still increases the risk of cardiovascular issues such as heart and cerebrovascular disease, according to new research published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

29 Jan 2022

Study finds link between lifetime workplace exposure to pesticides and elevated COPD risk

Lifetime workplace exposure to pesticides is linked to a heightened risk of COPD, the umbrella term for a group of respiratory diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing problems, finds a large population based study, published online in the journal Thorax.

26 Jan 2022

AI system can analyze eye scans to identify patients at high risk of heart attack

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can analyze eye scans taken during a routine visit to an optician or eye clinic and identify patients at a high risk of a heart attack.

25 Jan 2022

Lucky genes can help lower risk of diseases in people with obesity

Geneticists have revealed why some people with obesity remain relatively healthy, whilst others suffer from life-changing ailments such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

25 Jan 2022

Environmental risk factors driving the nearsightedness 'epidemic' in the UK

A team of researchers used the UK Biobank Study to investigate whether changing environmental factors are causing an increase in myopia.

20 Jan 2022

'Retinal age gap' can be an independent predictor of increased mortality risk

The difference between the biological age of the retina, the light sensitive layers of nerve tissue at the back of the eye, and a person's real (chronological) age, is linked to their risk of death, finds research published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

19 Jan 2022

Scientific review highlights the impact of coffee on digestive organs

A new scientific review, published in Nutrients, highlights coffee's effects on digestion and the gut, and its impact on organs involved in digestion.

19 Jan 2022

Pfizer vaccine associated with lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization in middle-aged adults

New findings suggest that the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccines provide extra protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) than AstraZeneca.

24 Dec 2021

Are our bowel habits written in our DNA?

In this interview, News-Medical talks to Dr. Mauro D’Amato about how there could be clues about the regularity of bowel movements within our genes.

24 Dec 2021

People with multimorbidity more likely to have chronic pain

People with multimorbidity – two or more long-term health conditions – showed a greater association with chronic pain, according to a new study.

21 Dec 2021

Holiday Heart Syndrome not associated with ventricular arrhythmias, study finds

The relationship between alcohol and atrial fibrillation has long been referred to as the Holiday Heart Syndrome. An extensive study of the relationship between total alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease determined that this phenomenon is not associated with ventricular arrhythmias (VAs).