Twelve people with persistent neurological symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection were intensely studied at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and were found to have differences in their immune cell profiles and autonomic dysfunction. These data inform future studies to help explain persistent neurological symptoms in Long COVID. The findings, published in Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, may lead to better diagnoses and new treatments. People with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), which includes Long COVID, have a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, headaches, sleep disturbances, and “brain fog,” or cognitive impairment. Such symptoms can last for months or longer after an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fatigue and “brain fog” are among the most common and debilitating symptoms, and likely stem from nervous system dysfunction. Researchers used an approach called deep phenotyping to closely examine the clinical and biological features of Long COVID in 12 people who ...
Women who have suffered domestic abuse may have a higher risk of developing atopic diseases including asthma, new research has found. Published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, the research led by the University of Birmingham found that in analysis of patient records, there were a significantly larger percentage of women who had atopic diseases and had a history of being exposed to domestic abuse and violence compared to those who hadn’t. After adjusting for possible cofounders, our results show women with a recorded exposure to domestic violence and abuse had a 52% increased risk of developing atopic diseases. “Domestic violence and abuse is a global issue that disproportionately affects women. We set out to deepen our understanding of the health impacts of domestic violence so evidence-based public health policies can be further developed to address not only domestic violence, but secondary effects like the development ...
Quitting smoking early was associated with higher survival rates following a lung cancer diagnosis, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Compared to those who never smoked and were being treated for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), current smokers had 68% higher mortality and former smokers had 26% higher mortality. Our participants’ smoking histories varied, with some having stopped smoking a few years before their diagnosis and others having stopped several decades before. This wide range gave us confidence in our results—that the benefit of pre-diagnosis smoking cessation persists even after lung cancer is diagnosed.” David Christiani, Senior Author, Elkan Blout Professor of Environmental Genetics The study was published online in JAMA Network Open on May 5, 2023. While most similar research has compared mortality among current smokers and never smokers, the majority of the study’s participants were former smokers, ...
Biopharmaceutical company Neogap Therapeutics has partnered with Swiss company Cellerys for a Phase II study of the latter’s RED4MS therapy for multiple sclerosis. Under the collaboration, Neogap will provide its EpiTCer technology for Cellerys’ upcoming Phase II study of an innovative cell therapy to fight multiple sclerosis. The RED4MS therapy is being studied for the induction of antigen-specific immune tolerance in multiple sclerosis patients. The Neogap EpiTCer technology will be used for the identification of rare autoreactive T cells in the patients, utilising them as biomarkers of tolerance in patients. Neogap CEO Samuel Svensson said: “We are thrilled to contribute to and be a part of Cellerys upcoming Phase II study, where EpiTCer will be a key aspect in monitoring autoreactive T cells. “The collaboration with Cellerys opens up opportunities for Neogap to use our technology platform in several disease fields, including autoimmune diseases and other immune-related conditions. “Our ...
Eli Lilly’s experimental Alzheimer’s drug, donanemab, has been shown to significantly slow cognitive and functional decline in patients with early-stage disease. The phase 3 TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study met its primary endpoint, with the drug slowing the progression of the disease by 35% compared to placebo in 1,182 patients with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease and intermediate levels of tau protein. All secondary endpoints of cognitive and functional decline were also met and showed highly statistically significant clinical benefits, the company said. Results from the trial demonstrated that 47% of patients who received donanemab showed no disease progression a year after starting treatment, compared with 29% on placebo. Additionally, 52% of patients completed their course of treatment by one year, and 72% completed by 18 months as a result of achieving amyloid plaque clearance. Patients receiving donanemab also experienced a 39% lower risk of progressing to the next stage of disease, and ...
There are currently 8 million patients with Parkinson’s disease in the world. In 2021, Professor Per Saris’s group published results demonstrating that bacteria of the Desulfovibrio bacterial genus correlate with Parkinson’s disease, and that their higher number also correlates with the severity of the symptoms of the disease. Replicating the same study, Chinese researchers came to the same conclusion. “Our findings are significant, as the cause of Parkinson’s disease has gone unknown despite attempts to identify it throughout the last two centuries. The findings indicate that specific strains of Desulfovibrio bacteria are likely to cause Parkinson’s disease. The disease is primarily caused by environmental factors, that is, environmental exposure to the Desulfovibrio bacterial strains that cause Parkinson’s disease. Only a small share, or roughly 10%, of Parkinson’s disease is caused by individual genes,” says Professor Per Saris from the University of Helsinki. The goal of Professor Saris’s research group ...
By Max Matza BBC News The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – an illness that kills thousands of Americans each year. The vaccine still needs approval from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before it can be rolled out to the public. Officials say the vaccine, named Arexvy by the manufacturer GSK, is a major breakthrough that will save many lives. It could be available to people over 60 within months, officials say. “Today’s approval of the first RSV vaccine is an important public health achievement to prevent a disease which can be life-threatening,” said Dr Peter Marks, who leads the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). RSV is a respiratory illness that typically results in cold-like symptoms for adults, but can be dangerous for young children, the elderly, and those with ...
Systems will support millions of patients with chronic respiratory conditions throughout Europe Kry – a company focused on digital healthcare – is launching a number of digital care pathways to transform treatment approaches for chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) such as asthma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The new pathways will help early diagnosis, prevention and wider management of the conditions. It is also hoped that integrated digital healthcare can complement and enhance primary care access. An estimated 235 million people suffering from asthma, while more than 200 million people are living with COPD across the world. Currently, in Sweden, improving access to national screening programs for lung cancer is vital, especially when encouraging better prevention through early detection and establishing treatments. With this considered, Kry is developing a testing and diagnostic solution which uses track and trace in order to assist patients. This enables them be assessed ...
In order to carry out a seamless joint replacement, surgeons must create a customized preoperative plan for each patient. However, surgeons having to perform multiple operations per day are often too busy to dedicate adequate time to this step. Formus Labs, a New Zealand-based medical technology startup, is on a mission to make the preoperative planning process much quicker. On Wednesday, the company received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for Formus Hip, its fully automated 3D software for hip replacement preoperative planning. The company announced its plans to expand into the U.S. last year. Wednesday’s FDA clearance represents a major milestone, as Formus can now begin to sell its product to surgeons and healthcare providers across the country. Founded in 2017, Formus seeks to solve the problem of patient dissatisfaction and unsustainable costs in joint replacement surgery, said CEO Ju Zhang in a recent interview. “Our approach to solving this ...
People who perceived that they had cognitive difficulties such as memory problems during COVID were more likely to have lingering physical manifestations of the disease than people who did not report cognitive issues, new UCLA research suggests. More than one in three people experiencing long COVID symptoms perceived such cognitive deficits, which have been found to be related to anxiety and depression. The findings indicate that psychological issues such as anxiety or depressive disorders may play a part in some people who are experiencing long COVID, technically known as post-COVID-19 condition, or PCC. “This perception of cognitive deficits suggests that affective issues—in this case anxiety and depression—appear to carry over into the long COVID period,” said senior author Dr. Neil Wenger, professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “This is not to say ...
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