Press review
The essentials of recent medical publications, unpacked by our newsroom into a clear, sourced digest, specialty by specialty.
GeriatricsDiet plays a crucial role in preventing sarcopenia
Sarcopenia, often defined as the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, represents a growing public health challenge, particularly in the elderly. This geriatric syndrome is associated with an increased risk of falls, reduced quality of life and increased mortality. Although several factors are involved, including physical inactivity and aging, diet appears to play a crucial role in the pre
PediatricsFever as a predictor of invasive infections in newborns
In this secondary analysis of a single-center prospective registry, data from 2,411 infants were included, 76 of whom were diagnosed with invasive infections. The aim of the study was to analyze the performance of commonly used blood tests in febrile infants under 90 days of age. The researchers defined three groups of patients, based on the hours of fever reported by caregivers: less than 2 hours
Pharmacology and ToxicologyNew data on the mechanism of action of antipsychotics
The 5-HT2A serotonin receptor is involved in both schizophrenia and the mode of action of antipsychotic drugs. While antipsychotic drugs have a certain efficacy in treating the symptoms of schizophrenia, they are associated with side effects, some of them major. To find out more about the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs, researchers have used bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (B
Medical GeneticsHormonal treatment of the menopause and risk of colorectal cancer
Menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. In this study, researchers analyzed data from 28,486 post-menopausal women, 11,519 of whom were treated with HRT. A polygenic score based on 141 genetic variants associated with colorectal cancer was modeled and its association with colorectal cancer risk assessed. The researchers calculated the cu
NeurologyWhat kind of brain damage is involved in long Covid?
In long Covid, many symptoms are neurological, but the underlying brain disturbances remain poorly understood. In this study, researchers recruited 89 patients with persistent neurological symptoms after Covid-19 and 22 controls who had Covid-19 without persistent neurological symptoms. The data highlighted that 48% of patients with long Covid had episodic memory deficits, and 27% also had impaire
InfectiologyPrevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B
Does maternal antiviral prophylaxis impact mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus in real life? Researchers analyzed data on maternal HBV screening, neonatal immunization and post-vaccination serologic testing in at-risk infants born to HBV-positive mothers. A total of 2,460,218 deliveries with maternal HBV status were screened. Among the 22,859 at-risk infants who received antiviral pr
OncologyBone mineral density and breast cancer
In this study, researchers evaluated the long-term impact (over a total period of 10 years) of breast cancer and its treatment on bone mineral density, particularly after discontinuation of treatment with an aromatase inhibitor. A total of 372 patients with pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer were included in the study. Discontinuation of the aromatase inhibitor at 5 years had a significant imp
PediatricsEffectiveness and feasibility of remote intervention in children with autism spectrum disorders
In this study, researchers compared the efficacy, acceptability and feasibility of a creative movement intervention, delivered face-to-face or remotely, in 15 children with autism spectrum disorder. Children in both subgroups showed similar baseline performance and training-related improvements in motor skills, positive/interested affect, socially directed verbalization, interpersonal synchrony an
Gastroenterology and HepatologyA score to predict liver fibrosis
In order to better assess liver fibrosis, non-invasively and early on, researchers here have developed a new predictive score, called the LiverRisk. They evaluated the predictive performance and cost-effectiveness of the LiverRisk score for liver fibrosis and liver and diabetes-related mortality in the general population. Compared with conventional scores, the LiverRisk score had significantly bet
Physical Medicine and RehabilitationImpact of lower limb prostheses on quality of life
In this cohort study, researchers determined the impact of lower limb prostheses on patients' mobility and quality of life, depending on the level of initial damage and prosthesis sophistication. The study included 347 U.S. Army veterans with incident transtibial or transfemoral amputations due to diabetes and/or peripheral arterial disease who received knee or hip prostheses. Patients who receive
RhumatologyDiagnosis of cancer in patients with rheumatic diseases
In patients with chronic rheumatic diseases, misleading symptoms can delay cancer diagnosis. In this study, researchers evaluated whether a metabolic signature could indicate paraneoplasia or reveal concomitant cancer in patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal disease. Metabolic markers were quantified in the sera of 56 patients with rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis and 52 patients w
HematologyThe aging immune system
Aging of the immune system is marked by a decrease in lymphopoiesis and adaptive immunity, and an increase in inflammation and myeloid pathologies. Are these phenomena related to age-related changes in self-renewing hematopoietic stem cell populations? Here we describe the changes observed during aging in hematopoietic stem cell subpopulations in mouse models. The investigators demonstrate that an