Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors are associated with an increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), especially among patients with rheumatic disease (RD), new research shows.
When investigators combed medical databases in four Canadian provinces for information on patients with RD and irritable bowel disease (IBD) taking anti-TNF-alpha agents alongside matched controls in a prospective cohort study, they found an increased risk for MS in the RD patients.
Wearable technology — such as fitness trackers, sensors, and monitors — can build patient engagement, save time on office visits, and add real-time data points, according to physicians speaking here at the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting
@akhilesh A steeper decline in cognitive scores and a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD) were also shown in participants with baseline total macular RNFL thickness below the lowest quartile cutoff value vs participants with RNFL thickness above that threshold.
Exposure to opioid analgesics during the first trimester of pregnancy appears to increase the risk of congenital anomalies diagnosed in the first year of life, researchers report. While the absolute risk of congenital anomalies was low, these findings add to an increasing body of evidence suggesting that prenatal exposure to opioids may confer harm to infants post partum.
Slim down. Cure your cancer. Reverse your multiple sclerosis. Prevent heart attacks. Live longer. Reports that intermittent fasting could help with the biggest health concerns facing people in developed countries have inspired millions to take it up. In one survey, 10% of Americans aged 16-34 said they fast intermittently, making it the most popular style of diet for that age group
After 3 years of follow-up in patients with low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), there is no significant difference in the rate of tumor-related events in those treated with postsurgical radioactive iodine (RAI) relative to those who are not, according to a randomized phase 3 trial. The controversy about whether postoperative RAI is beneficial or an overtreatment in low-risk DTC has persisted for years, but it can now be addressed with level one data, according to Sophie Leboulleux, MD, PhD, who heads the thyroid cancer division at Gustave Roussy Cancer Institute, Villejuif, France. The trial, called ESTIMABL2, included 776 low-risk DTC patients managed at 35 participating treatment centers in France. Two to five months after surgery, patients were randomized to receive RAI or to follow-up without RAI if there were no suspicious findings, such as changes in lateral neck lymph nodes, on ultrasonography.
In clinical management of depression, combining a reuptake inhibitor with presynaptic alpha2-autoreceptors significantly improves treatment outcomes, compared with monotherapy, a meta-analysis found. Clinicians should consider this approach as a viable first-line treatment for severe depression and for non-responders, a team of German researchers concluded. Combining antidepressants is often the next step if a patient with acute depression fails to respond to a monotherapy. In a previous meta-analysis, first author Jonathan Henssler, MD, and colleagues reported on the merits of combining monoamine reuptake inhibitors (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor [SNRI], or tricyclic antidepressant) and antagonists of presynaptic alpha2-autoreceptors (mianserin, mirtazapine, trazodone).
@atharva Coffee and indigestion may go hand-in-hand for some individuals. Coffee contains caffeine and other compounds that cause your stomach to produce more acid and may irritate its lining. In addition to indigestion, you may also experience heartburn, or acid reflux. This occurs when the contents of your stomach come up into the esophagus. If the acid reflux is chronic, this is a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, notes the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
@manohar Being dehydrated regularly can make a person constipated. To prevent this, it is important to drink enough water and stay hydrated. When a person is constipated, they might find relief from drinking some carbonated (sparkling) water. This can help them rehydrate and get things moving again. Some studies have found sparkling water to be more effective than tap water at relieving constipation. This includes in people with indigestion, or dyspepsia, and people with chronic idiopathic constipation. o treat constipation, doctors often tell people to increase their dietary fiber intake. This is because increasing fiber intake increases the bulk and consistency of bowel movements, making them easier to pass. It also helps them pass through the digestive system more quickly. Various research studies have reported that exercise could help improve the symptoms of constipation. Studies have linked sedentary lifestyles with an increased risk of constipation. Because of this, some healthcare experts recommend increasing exercise to get the stool moving
RN is a 38-year-old woman who comes to the pharmacy complaining of dry skin. She states that her skin is very dry, even though she’s been applying lotion for a week. She doesn’t regularly use lotion, but her skin has been so dry lately that it’s cracking, so she started applying lotion. RN has no medical conditions and takes no medications. She wants to know if there is a lotion that works better than the one she is currently using. What lotion would you recommend for her dry skin?