Chronic News and Research

RSS

Higher marine microplastics may signal greater stroke and chronic disease burden in coastal communities

...

19 May 2026

Facial micromovements may help doctors measure pain more accurately

Researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick are working to measure pain more accurately beyond the single, subjective question patients are often asked: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is your pain?"

19 May 2026

Psychologist debunks myth that sexual desire disappears with age

Sexuality is an important part of life - even when we grow old. The idea that desire disappears with age is a myth that needs to be debunked, argues a psychologist who has researched older adults' sex lives.

19 May 2026

Pennington and Vanderbilt launch major study on childhood obesity treatment

Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has launched a research study, the COACH trial, to test different ways to help children and their families improve their health through lifestyle changes delivered by primary care clinics in communities in Louisiana and Tennessee.

19 May 2026

Recent advancements in the development of models to study primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare non-communicable disorder that affects the liver. Chronic inflammation in and around the bile duct is followed by the development of fibrotic obstructions within the duct, causing bile to accumulate within the liver.

19 May 2026

Cyclana Bio granted Health Research Authority approval and recruits first patients for clinical observational study in endometriosis

Cyclana Bio, a biotechnology company pioneering tissue-level approaches to women’s health, today announced it has received Health Research Authority (HRA) and Research Ethics Committee (REC) approval for its 500-patient clinical observational study, PEMP (Predicting Endometriosis Mechanisms and Populations).

19 May 2026

Precision calcium signaling control may improve future CAR-T therapies

Calcium is widely known for its role in maintaining strong bones and teeth, but it is also one of the body's most important cellular messengers.

19 May 2026

Stem cell infusions improve symptoms in butterfly skin disease

The intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells from family donors is safe and improves symptoms such as pruritus (itching), sleep disturbances, and fatigue associated with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB), popularly known as "butterfly skin".

18 May 2026

Mental disorders affect one in three pregnant women, and violence may be a key driver

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies involving 17,380 pregnant women found that common mental disorders affected about one-third of participants across studies from Africa, Asia, and South America. The analysis found strong regional variation and identified intimate partner violence as the only statistically significant risk factor, with affected women having about 2.6-fold higher odds of CMDs.

18 May 2026

Integrated care needed for lifelong Polyendocrine Ovarian Syndrome management

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which has just been renamed Polyendocrine Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), is the most common hormonal and metabolic disorder affecting women of reproductive age, impacting up to 13% of this population and contributing to nearly 40% of infertility cases worldwide.

18 May 2026

Exhausted brain immune cells drive aggressive multiple system atrophy

A rare and fatal brain disorder with no available treatment or cure. One that attacks the nervous system, balance, and the ability to move.

18 May 2026

Once-nightly oral pill helps control obstructive sleep apnea

A once-nightly oral pill helped control obstructive sleep apnea in a large, phase 3 clinical trial presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference.

18 May 2026

Gut microbiome metabolite butyrate relieves chronic jaw joint pain

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is associated with disrupted gut microbiome metabolites. Researchers reveal that butyrate, administered as tributyrin, alleviates pain by restoring histone acetylation and reversing gene regulatory changes in the brain.

18 May 2026

Study finds pulmonary rehab empowers children with respiratory issues

New research presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference shows that pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) significantly improves functioning and quality of life in children with chronic respiratory conditions, regardless of whether lung function itself improves.

18 May 2026

Olive waste extract may help lower fat and improve muscle markers

A polyphenol-rich olive oil byproduct may enhance muscle health, reducing fat mass and improving antioxidant markers in adults with metabolic risk factors.

18 May 2026

AI eye scans reveal who may be at higher risk of osteoporosis

RetiAGE, an AI-derived retinal biological age score, was associated with lower bone mineral density and higher fracture risk scores in older Singaporean adults. In the UK Biobank, older retinal biological age also predicted future osteoporosis, suggesting routine retinal imaging could eventually support opportunistic osteoporosis risk screening.

17 May 2026

Addressing depression and anxiety in primary care improves chronic pain management

A study published this month in the American Journal of Managed Care explores how integrating behavioral health care into primary care can improve outcomes and be cost-effective for adults with depression, anxiety and chronic pain who are on long-term opioid therapy.

15 May 2026

Study reveals why aging makes the body more vulnerable to breast cancer

Researchers at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a mechanism that may help explain a key reason why older people experience worse outcomes from breast cancer.

15 May 2026

Maternal occupations linked to increased autism diagnosis odds

Findings indicate that certain maternal jobs are associated with increased autism odds in children, highlighting the importance of prenatal occupational health.

15 May 2026

Asymptomatic transmission plays a prominent role in mpox infection patterns

A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 8,000 men shows that in mid- to late 2024, mpox was far more common among men who have sex with men than previously thought. Individuals without symptoms accounted for most infections and likely played a prominent role in transmission, contrary to prior assumptions that people had to be symptomatic to spread the disease.

15 May 2026