MEDICAL NEWS BRIEFS #14
COVID-19 Vaccine Given During Pregnancy Passes Protection Against Virus to Newborns
The CDC found that maternal vaccination was 54% effective against COVID-19 hospitalization in infants younger than 3 months of age over the past season. After 3 months, effectiveness dropped to 35%. Immunity from vaccination during pregnancy is fairly strongly transferred to the infant before birth.
AAFP Board Chair Agrees RSV Vaccine Transmits Immunity to Infant Before Birth
The AAFP recommends new RSV vaccine for women in the third trimester of pregnancy so as to protect babies from RSV.
Adolescents With Parents Who Drink Heavily or Binge Drink are Four Times More Likely To Drink Themselves
Out of Harvard comes the above information that could be tied to behaviors like “modeling,” parental permissiveness, and alcohol accessibility.
Overlap of Cardiac, Renal, and Metabolic Disorders
JAMA Cardiology reported that cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic function are deeply interconnected, and disease in one often affects another. High blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity are risk factors in each case.
Patients With Adrenocortical Hormone Excess Demonstrate High Prevalence of Frailty
U.S. Struggling to Address Rapid Increase in Cases of Type 2 Diabetes
Diagnosed rates of Type 2 Diabetes have soared in the past 25 years among working-age adults. Food and medical experts see a problem left unaddressed.
Data Show Many Patients Harbor More Vaccine Hesitancy For New COVID-19 Shot Than They Do For FLU and RSV
46% of adults over age 18 would definitely, or probably, get the latest COVID-19 booster. Adults over 65 are more inclined to receive new vaccine.
Risk of Reaction After Flu Vaccination Higher in Women than Men
The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reports adverse reactions to flu shots occurred more often in women than men. These are “solicited” reactions that might have not otherwise been mentioned.
Midlife Women With Chronically Poor Sleep Face Increased Risk of CV Events
Insomnia or sleeping no longer than 5 hours per night places those individuals at elevated risk for cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
30% Of Adults With Gout Appear to Have Poor Control of Their Disease
Frontiers in Medicine reports that nearly 30% of patients with real gout had poor control of their disease and thus had heart failure and repeated attacks of acute arthritis.
Breastfeeding in Infancy May Be Associated With Lower Percentage of Body Fat Later in Childhood
The European Association for the Study of Diabetes reports that 9-yr old children who were breast fed for 6 months or more had a lower percentage of body fat than those who were not breast fed. Also kids who were not given soda before 18 months of age had less fat at age 9.
Spending More Time in Natural Light May Help Improve Metabolism for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Blood sugar levels were normal in Type 2 Diabetics when exposed to natural light vs. artificial light. Strange correlation! I wonder if it has anything to do with vitamin D.
Tree Nuts Tied To Decreased Risk For CVD, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors
The journal Current Developments in Nutrition reported that tree nuts were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
FDA Approves Novavax’s Updated COVID-19 Vaccine
The CDC recommends reformulated Novavax COVID shots this fall for “anyone age 12 and older.” The vaccine has been tweaked to protect against newer strains of coronavirus.
Good Adherence to CPAP Therapy May Reduce Risk For Major Adverse Cardiac, Cerebrovascular Events in Secondary Prevention of CVD In Patients With Sleep Apnea
Published in JAMA, using CPAP regularly may reduce risk for major cardiac and cerebrovascular events.
Cervical Cancer Risk Increases With Colposcopy Delay After Abnormal PAP or HPV Tests
Women with abnormal PAP or HPV tests must have colposcopy within 12 months or run the risk of progressing to cervical cancer. Colposcopy identifies precancerous lesions to permit early treatment and prevent advanced, invasive cervical cancer.
US Cases of Syphilis Infections Soar
Three dozen leading public health organization are urging the Biden administration to intervene in the rapidly increasing number of syphilis cases and into the shortage of the drugs to treat them.
One in Four Individuals Projected to Develop Heart Failure in Their Lifetime
The incidence of heart failure is increasing in people over age 20. The Heart Failure Society of America predicts the prevalence will rise from 6.7M to 8.3M in the next decade or 24%.
Adding 3000 Steps Per Day to Usual Routine My Benefit Older Adults With High BP
Drops were seen in both systolic and diastolic pressure.
Having Either High or Low HCL-C Tied to Increased Risk of Dementia in Older Adults
An article in Neurology showed patients with HCL-C above 65 and between 11-41 were 15% and 7%, respectively, more likely to develop dementia. No association was found between LDL-C and dementia risk, however.
COVID-19 Vaccination & Infection May Play a Role in Migraine Worsening
A study in the European Journal of Neurology found that migraine headaches were worse in 24.7% of patients after infection and 11.4% after vaccination.
References: AAFP: Family Medicine Today Several articles found in September 29, October 2, October 3, October 4, and October 5, 2023 issues.
