Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Study sheds new light on link between calorie-burning fat and muscle function

Abundant in human babies and small mammals, brown adipose tissue, or brown fat, was only recently discovered in human adults, and its role remains unclear.

3 Aug 2018

Obesity increases viral shedding duration in adults with influenza A

Obesity, which increases influenza disease severity, also extends by about 1.5 days how long influenza A virus is shed from infected adults compared to non-obese adults, according to a multi-year study of two cohorts of Nicaraguan households.

2 Aug 2018

Study explores indoor thermal comfort of older people living in residential care homes

Indoor temperatures in aged care homes could have a dramatic impact on the wellbeing of residents, particularly those living with dementia.

2 Aug 2018

Study: Obesity may play role in flu transmission, not just disease severity

Obesity increases a person's risk for severe complications from influenza, including hospitalization and even death.

2 Aug 2018

Scientists develop simple, innovative method to convert white fat to brown fat

Brown fat tissue in the body can burn enormous amounts of energy to generate heat, and studies in humans and animals have suggested that increasing the amount of healthy brown fat might help weight management and reduce symptoms of diabetes.

2 Aug 2018

Researchers develop device that diffuses potent disinfectants for airborne delivery

A team of engineers and physicians in San Diego have developed a device that diffuses potent disinfectants for airborne delivery.

2 Aug 2018

World Lung Cancer Day: FIRS commemorates and supports lung cancer patients

On World Lung Cancer Day, the American Thoracic Society, alongside members of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies commemorate and support those impacted by lung cancer.

1 Aug 2018

Vaccine schedule is a must-have on child’s back-to-school checklist

With the start of the school year just around the corner, it is easy to overlook one of the most important things on any back-to-school checklist - making sure your child is vaccinated. Vaccinations protect children from serious diseases, ultimately protecting families, schools and communities by way of safe and effective immunizations.

1 Aug 2018

European Commission approves Pfizer’s first oncology biosimilar

Pfizer Inc. today announced the European Commission has approved TRAZIMERA, a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab), for the treatment of human epidermal growth factor overexpressing breast cancer and HER2 overexpressing metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

31 Jul 2018

Mortality rate increases during tropical nights in Barcelona

A statistical analysis of the effects of very hot nights on the death rate in Barcelona's environment reveals that, during these nocturnal periods, more deaths occur due to natural, respiratory and cardiovascular causes.

31 Jul 2018

Study uncovers why elderly people struggle to swallow

A new study has revealed people naturally lose muscle and function in the throat as they age, making it harder for food to move from the mouth to the space above the food pipe.

31 Jul 2018

Gene linked to hair loss could be exploited to improve cancer immunotherapy

A gene that's associated with an autoimmune form of hair loss could be exploited to improve cancer immunotherapy, suggests a new mouse study by Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) researchers.

31 Jul 2018

World not ready to deal with a viral pandemic

A team of researchers from the John Hopkins Center for Health Security conducted a simulation with real life implications.

31 Jul 2018

Researchers investigate reason for increase in bariatric surgery wait times

Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and borderline high blood pressure, Dana Hayes pursued bariatric surgery in hopes of living a healthier life.

27 Jul 2018

Pairing online patient dashboard with 'nudges' to doctors triples statin prescribing rates

Pairing an online patient dashboard with "nudges" to doctors tripled statin prescribing rates in a clinical trial led by Penn Medicine researchers.

27 Jul 2018

Novartis' new drug combination receives positive CHMP opinion for treating stage III BRAF mutant melanoma

Novartis today announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of Tafinlar® in combination with Mekinist® for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with stage III melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation, following complete resection.

27 Jul 2018

Using a fan to cool down can worsen allergies like hayfever

Britain is facing a heat wave this week with maximum temperatures hovering around 34C. This heat may make sleeping comfortably at night difficult. To combat the heat many people turn on their fans to cool down as they sleep. Mark Reddick, wrote for Sleep Advisor and explained how the use of the fans at night can have a negative impact on health.

27 Jul 2018

Study helps to explain why older adults experience dysphagia

As adults age, they all experience a natural loss of muscle mass and function. A new study finds that as the loss of muscle and function in the throat occurs it becomes more difficult for efficient constriction to occur while swallowing - which leads to an increased chance of food and liquids being left over in the throat.

26 Jul 2018

CNDA approves KEYTRUDA for treatment of advanced melanoma

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, has been approved by the China National Drug Administration for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma following failure of one prior line of therapy.

26 Jul 2018

Researchers find distinct microbiomes in airway, gastrointestinal systems of children with chronic cough

Different respiratory diseases associated with chronic cough create distinct microbial imbalances in the lower airways of children, according to a study led by researchers at NYU School of Medicine.

26 Jul 2018