Chronic News and Research

RSS

High levels of steroids put asthma patients at greater risk of serious side-effects

More than one quarter of asthma patients have been prescribed potentially dangerous amounts of steroid tablets, with researchers warning this puts them at greater risk of serious side-effects.

14 Sep 2020

Federal program to reduce hospital readmission for COPD patients may increase mortality rates

Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have found that while the 30-day readmission rate for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has decreased, the mortality rate has increased.

12 Sep 2020

Prolonged isolation can induce bone loss in humans

Clinical studies have found that bone mineral density in patients with anxiety or depression is lower than in ordinary people.

11 Sep 2020

Even mild concussions cause severe and long-lasting impairments in the brain

Even mild concussions cause severe and long-lasting impairments in the brain's ability to clean itself of toxins, and this may seed it for Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other neurodegenerative problems, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals.

11 Sep 2020

Study sheds light on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19

As the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was receding in mid-May, some 1.3 million working-age adults reported being home sick with symptoms they attributed to the coronavirus.

11 Sep 2020

Autistic adults more likely to have chronic physical health conditions

Autistic individuals are more likely to have chronic physical health conditions, particularly heart, lung, and diabetic conditions, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge.

10 Sep 2020

A novel gene involved in primary lymphedema identified

The Human Molecular Genetics laboratory of the de Duve Institute (UCLouvain), headed by Professor Miikka Vikkula, recently identified mutations in a novel gene, ANGPT2, responsible for primary lymphedema.

10 Sep 2020

Regular cannabis use does not appear to increase pain sensitivity, study suggests

A recent study examining pain among cannabis users suggests that--unlike long-term opioid use--regular cannabis use does not appear to increase pain sensitivity.

10 Sep 2020

Important factors for a smooth transition from pediatric to adult rheumatology care

As children with chronic rheumatic illnesses age, it's important that they experience a smooth transition from pediatric to adult care. A study published in Arthritis Care & Research has identified certain factors that are important during this time.

10 Sep 2020

Migraine patients may benefit from green light therapy

New research from the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that people who suffer from migraine may benefit from green light therapy, which was shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches and improve patient quality of life.

10 Sep 2020

Vapers, smokers, and non-smokers with chronic conditions have higher risks for COVID-19

What do vapers, smokers, and non-smokers with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes have in common? They all are at higher risk for COVID-19.

10 Sep 2020

Study reveals how B cells react to SARS-CoV-2

In an exciting immunological medRxiv preprint paper, researchers from Germany and Russia analyzed adaptive immune response in severely affected patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). They demonstrated a protracted immune reaction characterized by egress of B lymphocytes into the blood.

9 Sep 2020

Telehealth spikes up to offer patient care while minimizing COVID-19 exposure

Hailed for its ability to erase distance between health care providers in cities and patients in rural areas, telehealth has ironically enabled medical care to continue in a time when we all must keep our distance.

9 Sep 2020

Common diabetes drug controls aspects of inflammation in mice

The diabetes drug metformin--derived from a lilac plant that's been used medicinally for more than a thousand years--has been prescribed to hundreds of millions of people worldwide as the frontline treatment for type 2 diabetes.

9 Sep 2020

Scientists shed new light on gene regulatory pathways activated by stress hormone

Scientists have long known that chronic stress experienced early in life, or even chronic prenatal exposure to maternal stress hormones in the womb, can shorten lifespan and contribute to age-related chronic diseases like arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even mental illness later in life -- long after the source of stress has been removed.

9 Sep 2020

Obamacare co-ops down from 23 to final ‘3 little miracles’

New Mexico Health Connections' decision to close at year's end will leave just three of the 23 nonprofit health insurance co-ops that sprang from the Affordable Care Act.

9 Sep 2020

Exercise and diet are more important than ever with virus at large

If your life these days is anything like mine, a pre-pandemic routine that included regular exercise and disciplined eating has probably given way to sedentary evenings on a big chair, binge-watching reruns of your favorite TV series while guzzling chocolate ice cream or mac 'n' cheese.

9 Sep 2020

MD Anderson and Astex Pharmaceuticals partner to accelerate clinical evaluation of leukemia therapies

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., based in Tokyo, Japan, today announce a strategic collaboration agreement aimed at accelerating the clinical evaluation of Astex's pipeline of products for patients with certain types of leukemia, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

8 Sep 2020

Environmental and biomedical applications of enzyme inhibitors

Enzyme inhibitors play a pivotal role in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The primary understanding of the action of inhibitors helps pharmacologists during the design process for developing new therapeutic drugs.

8 Sep 2020

Memory B cells indicate durable immunity in COVID-19

Now a new study by researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University and published recently on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that memory B cells are upregulated in convalescent COVID-19 patients, correlating with a better immune response and shorter symptom duration.

8 Sep 2020