Arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D) is a rare condition affecting the body's water management. However, it is also known under a different name – this can lead to fatal mix-ups.
Soccer is not only a fun and popular sport, but can also help prevent many lifestyle-related conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, several cancers, and mental health challenges.
Severe obesity comes with serious health risks, which can be reduced with metabolic and bariatric surgery. Now, a landmark study reveals which operation is most effective or cost-effective.
Researchers have developed ‘sponge-like’ microneedle patches that deliver bioactive ingredients and reduce inflammation in slow- and non-healing diabetic wounds.
Leveraging bioink from pancreatic tissue and 3D bioprinting, researchers developed a structure closely mimicking the structure of a pancreas, in which cultured cells can resume insulin production.
Periods of hypoglycemia in diabetes patients can cause impaired judgment and lead to traffic accidents. A new study shows that continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices can help mitigate this risk.
Blood-based biomarker (BBB) tests may represent the best weapon to combat the soaring rates of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) throughout the world. Existing clinically validated tests are currently deployed to facilitate diagnosis, to monitor disease and effectiveness of treatments, to quantify progression, and to determine if a patient is appropriate for treatment or participation in a clinical…
Around one third of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) also have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), yet the condition is often undiagnosed. A new project aims to untangle this MCI-CVD connection.
A new AI-based approach can predict whether people with type 2 diabetes are likely to develop chronic kidney disease years before symptoms arise, allowing for earlier intervention and treatment.
New research uncovers the hidden diversity of adrenal gland tumors, shedding light on how they cause unusual medical symptoms and paving the way for new drug treatments.
Microbiologists have just shown that people with diabetes are more likely to develop antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, a leading cause of AMR-associated infections and deaths.
The virus behind Covid-19 initially causes acute lung injury and respiratory failure. However, new evidence indicates the virus also involves inflammation that can affect the cardiovascular system.
Persister cells arise as a result of cancer treatment and are often responsible for tumour relapse. Researchers identified a distinctive feature of persister cells, paving the way for new treatments.
More than half of pregnant women in the UK with gestational diabetes are unaware of their condition due to insufficient diagnostics, a study suggests. This could lead to unneccessary complications.
In a new study, researchers have shown, for the first time, that a particular form of MRI, called diffusion tensor imaging, is capable of robustly detecting pre-malignant lesions in the pancreas.
Social deprivation, infectious diseases, broken bones, and even poison apples: The life of Disney princesses is fraught with hidden health risks, a new study reveals.
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease has 2 types – a liver-specific type and a systemic type that affects other organs and tissues. This discovery could lead to better diagnosis and treatments.
Women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes often have difficulty getting pregnant, due to complications from the disease, being obese or seriously underweight, or having conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome. Once pregnant, they face challenges of having a safe pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby. Recent advances in diabetes technology, including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and most…
Insulinomas are benign tumors in the pancreas, but can still cause problems for patients. A new imaging technique reliably detects these previously hard-to-find tumors, according to recent research.
Before administering certain drugs, doctors check a patient’s kidney function by testing their blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. New research shows that gold nanoparticles might give more accurate results.
Sometimes all it takes is a little push: Using ultrasound to reposition small kidney-stone fragments significantly lowers patients’ returns to the operating room, a new study finds.
A new study reveals that cardiometabolic risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis impair the function of the microvessels that irrigate the heart, potentially increasing atherosclerosis risk.
Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of developing asthma – and vice versa, according to an analysis of data on 17 million people.
Certain long-term health conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, can obscure early symptoms of lung cancer, leading to delays in diagnosis, a new study finds.
New research from Denmark explores a possible connection between endometriosis and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Details are presented at the ESC 2024 Congress.
Using vascular organoids derived from stem cells, researchers gain new insights into how diabetes damages blood vessels. This could lead to to the development of new treatments.
Diagnosis and monitoring medical conditions, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and infections: In this opinion article, Alix Joseph (Linxens) explores the potential of sweat analysis.
Many medicines require cold storage, which is a challenge for infrastructure and sustainability. Now, researchers designed a hydrogel protecting therapeutics at temperatures as high as 50°C.
Using an advanced scanner, researchers have developed a technology that can detect the earliest changes in the kidney when scar tissue begins to form.
Why does obesity increase the risk of cancer and possibly metastasis? Researchers in Spain are currently investigating this very question.
Measuring temperatures in different face regions could be used to earlier detect chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension. Researchers now show the potential of an AI-based approach.
Researchers are proposing a new device that uses blood to generate electricity and measure its conductivity, opening doors to medical care in any location.
Assays: Anaemia, Cardiac, Diabetes, General Chemistry, Specific Proteins & Special Chemistry, Ion Selective Electrodes, Consumables, Calibrators and Controls Highlights:Ready-to-use, liquid stable, barcoded reagents to minimize errors European design and manufactured; CE-IVDR compliantReferenced and traceable to industry standardsReproducible performance across the Selectra…
Metabolic disorders, renal failure, UTIs, sepsis, poisoning: The higher temperatures climb in summer, the more people are hospitalized, a study shows - with some groups being more at risk than others.
Two companies are combining their unique expertise to develop intelligent e-skin patches to “self-sense” cardiac events in patients. The flexible patch platform will deliver a comprehensive understanding of both electrical and mechanical heart activities and has the potential to enable cardiologists to better monitor their patients.
Dimensions: 900 × 750 × 600 mm (w × h × d) Weight: 75 kgSample throughput: Up to 133 tests/hour; Up to 266 ISE tests/hour (optional ISE) Assays: Selectra Reagents Line; Anaemia, Cardiac, Diabetes, General Chemistry, Specific Proteins, Special Chemistry Highlights:Compact automated system with a small footprint for efficiencyReagent and sample handling…
Dimensions: 1220 × 750 × 610 mm (w × h × d)Weight: 95 kgSample throughput: Typically 180 tests/hour; Up to 266 ISE tests/hour (optional ISE)Assays: Selectra Reagents Line; Anaemia, Cardiac, Diabetes, General Chemistry, Specific Proteins, Special Chemistry Highlights:A fully automated integrated chemistry solutionEffective use of consumables to reduce…
Dimensions: 1050 × 650 × 700 mm (w × h × d) Weight: 110 kg Sample throughput: 250-500 tests/hour (workflow dependent) Assays: Selectra Reagents Line; Anaemia, Cardiac, Diabetes, General Chemistry, Specific Proteins, Special Chemistry Highlights: Economical fully automated benchtop solution Efficiency through consolidation of routine and…
A 12-week digital weight management programme has been shown to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss in patients with high BMI plus hypertension, diabetes or both.
The stiffer the arteries, the greater the cardiovascular risk, according to a new study. The researchers suggest using this as a predictive tool, and emphasise the utility of a specific clinical tool.
Popular medications like Ozempic and Wegovy that are used to treat diabetes and obesity are associated with an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia following endoscopy, a new study finds.
Awareness of the importance of women’s health is on the rise, but many challenges remain: At ECR 2024 in Vienna, we spoke with Hologic about their continued evaluation of healthcare efforts for women. At the congress, the company also shared how AI could be used to mitigate the effects of medical staff shortage.
New research could revolutionize noninvasive monitoring of blood glucose levels (BGLs): a Japanese team developed a novel methodology to estimate BGLs from near-infrared light (NIR) measurements.
Adults who had amblyopia (lazy eye) in childhood are more likely to experience hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome as an adult, as well as a higher heart attack risk, finds a new study.
This February, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health officially launched the ‘Joint Action on cancer and other non-communicable disease prevention project‘ (JA PreventNCD). In the four-year-initiative, 22 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway and Ukraine have joined forces to combat the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across national borders.
A team of researchers has discovered a new method of measuring levels of cortisol directly from a blood sample - a significant step forward in diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases.
Researchers have found a surprising method to reduce blood glucose levels in a person: Shining red light on their back. This could help control diabetes without medication.
Research reveals how a new mechanism could improve the efficiency of current treatments for diabetes. This may open up new ways of approaching metabolic diseases that are a global health problem.
Keeping technology simple and affordable is key in helping patients to fully benefit from robotic systems, according to a leading expert in the field. While expensive and complex systems have been developed, Professor Heike Vallery believes the full potential of robotics in patient care will only be realised when they become more affordable and widely accessible. She also underlines the…
As a result from better living standards and medical advances, population longevity increases – a development which, paradoxically, current healthcare systems are ill-prepared for, Sir John Bell points out. The UK’s Our Future Health programme, which he chairs, exemplifies the paradigm shift to a prevention-centered healthcare approach.
A Korean research team has advanced the imaging of kidney diseases using ultrafast ultrasound that captures 1,000 images in just one second.
Millions suffer from obesity, an epidemic that continues to trend upward. While bariatric surgery is a very effective treatment option, a new survey reveals common misconceptions about the procedure.
A research team has developed a nanoparticle-based contrast agent with the properties necessary to successfully use MRI for targeted diagnosis of liver fibrosis.
Using AI and optoacoustic imaging, researchers have developed a new method to assess microvascular changes in the skin – and thus the severity of diabetes in the patient.
Highlights:The fully automated HbA1c Advanced assay enables mid- to high-volume laboratories to provide physicians with state-of-the-art precision and accuracy for diagnosing diabetes mellitus, monitoring long-term glucose control in individuals with diabetes mellitus and identifying patients who may be at risk of developing diabetes mellitus.National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program…
Highlights:The S-Monovette GlucoExact stands for precise determination of glucose and stabilizes the glucose concentration immediately for up to 96 hours at room temperature.It meets the Gestational Diabetes Guidelines of the German Diabetes Association (DDG) and the German National Disease Management Guidelines (NVL) for type 2 diabetes.Gold standard for glucose determination.
Highlights:Randox offers a global range of third-party diagnostic reagents, renowned for exceptional quality and precise results. Our range includes 100+ assays with over 100 disease markers, spanning proteins, lipids, drugs, antioxidants, diabetes indicators, and veterinary tests. Various formats and methods cater to labs of all sizes. We provide specialised Randox Easy Read and Easy Fit reagent…
Assays: Quantitative determination of total ketone bodies [acetoacetate (AcAc) + 3-hydroxy butyrate (3-HB)] in serum or plasmaHighlights:Enzymatic colorimetric test, applicable to clinical chemistry analyzersRecognition of pediatric metabolic disordersMonitoring of liver transplantsMonitoring of diabetic patientsReliable results without interference from ascorbic acid and bilirubin
Having coronary heart disease at a younger age was associated with an increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, a new study finds.
Using small blood vessels grown in the lab, researchers discover how vascular leaks leading to dementia and stroke emerge – and how this damage might be fixed.
A nationwide programme to reduce the risk of developing diabetes in the United Kingdom is proven beyond reasonable doubt to work, a new study reveals.
Reseachers from the University of Gothenburg propose a new model for adapted triage in emergency care for pregnant women, which could become clinical routine throughout Sweden.
A new study shows five aspects of sleep that are almost equally important to explain the association between sleep and the risk of coronary events and stroke.
Chronic wounds in diabetes patients are often slow to heal, which can lead to serious infections and even limb amputation. Now, researchers propose to address this with a magnetic wound-healing gel.
The earlier it starts, the more type 2 diabetes shaves off of a person's life expectancy. For people in their 30s, this can be as much as 14 years less, new research finds.
A European team of researchers have successfully developed a new, living organ model which could advance rapid testing of new or common drugs to treat diseases of the liver.
Engineers from MIT are developing a device containing insulin-producing cells and a tiny oxygen-producing factory to keep the cells of diabetes patients healthy.
A newly discovered mechanism involving exosomes can drive inflammation and impair healing of wounds in diabetes patients, according to a new study led by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC researchers.
A new AI model finds that x-ray images collected during routine medical care can provide warning signs for diabetes, even in patients who don’t meet the guidelines for elevated risk.
One doctor, treating multiple patients with the same condition at the same time: The concept of "shared medical appointments" could help increasingly understaffed healthcare systems.
Bioinformatics students in Spain have developed a mobile app capable of detecting in a matter of seconds three of the world's most common causes of vision loss and blindness.
Global healthcare consumes millions of tonnes of single use plastic every year. A team at the University of Birmingham is taking on this sustainability challenge.
Plastics are a part of everyday life, and an increasingly concerning factor of global environmental pollution. They also have infiltrated our bodies as microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs), found even in placentas supporting foetal life. And they are in our blood. Now, researchers in Spain have developed a new method to detect and measure nanoparticles in human peripheral blood that is…
AI, robotics, climate change and more: Swedish researchers outline emerging technologies and trends that may define what the healthcare industry looks like in the next 50 years.
The old adage that expectant mums are ‘eating for two’ and don’t need to worry about weight gain can lead to health consequences for mum and baby, maternal health experts warn.
UK researchers find that digital health products, e.g. health apps, could make a substantial contribution to tackling NHS urgent care pressures, by keeping patients out of hospital in the first place.
More than half a billion people are living with diabetes worldwide, and that number is projected to more than double to 1.3 billion people in the next 30 years.
New research suggests that combining blood biomarkers with genomic information more accurately, cost-effectively predicts the risk of developing diseases.
About 5% of all women develop pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, which in severe cases can become life-threatening for mother and child. Using commercially available troponin tests, high-risk patients could be identified much earlier and more accurately than before.
People with strong legs are less likely to develop heart failure after a heart attack, according to research presented at the Heart Failure 2023 scientific congress in Prague.
German researchers have now investigated whether there is a temporal association between infection with the Sars-CoV-2 virus and the development of type 1 diabetes.
Shortages of health workers such as doctors, nurses and midwifery staff are strongly associated with higher death rates, finds a new analysis published by The BMJ.
Researchers at the University of Campinas and the Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil have developed an electrochemical sensor that detects Parkinson's disease at different stages.
A new kind of smart bandage developed at Caltech may make treatment of chronic wounds - for example caused by diabetes - easier, more effective, and less expensive.
Caregivers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, have developed a programme designed to facilitate recovery by geriatric patients following hip fracture surgery. The Returning Seniors to Orthopedic Excellence (RESTORE) programme is designed to provide stellar comprehensive collaborative co-managed care for older adults with orthopaedic injuries.
Researchers from the US, Singapore and Geneva have developed a novel combination therapy using an anticancer agent for treating vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE).
60 percent of all administered drugs do not have the desired therapeutic effect. Even worse: in Germany alone about 60,000 deaths per year are caused by medication. With these shocking statistics Professor Dr Christian Franken started his presentation on “Pills from the 3D printer” at last year’s Medica in Düsseldorf. He hopes that his vision of personalized medication based on 2D and 3D…
Arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures has seen enormous progress in recent years, but complications due to infections are still a major problem. With good preparation and the right technique, however, orthopaedic surgeons can take away much of the horror of this scenario.
Exposure to a mixture of chemicals called PFAS - also known as 'forever chemicals' - leads to alterations in biological processes associated with a broad range of diseases, a new study finds.
A new interdisciplinary article suggests ways in which the virtual-reality-based metaverse can help design healthy living environments and combat non-communicable diseases.
January 28 saw the celebration of the “Data Protection Day” as it is called in Europe, or respectively the “Privacy Day” as it is referred to outside of Europe. It marks the date on which the Council of Europe’s data protection convention, known as “Convention 108” was opened for signature back in 1981. According to the Council of Europe, it is the ‘only international,…
In a world first, scientists from Singapore and Germany have shown that regenerative therapy to restore impaired kidney function may soon be a possibility.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued its first comprehensive guideline on the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with obesity, marking an end to previous recommendations.
For almost four decades, stroke cases and fatalities have been on the decline. In recent years, however, signs point to a resurgence, according to an analysis of US stroke deaths from 1975 to 2019.
The risk for poor glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes can be predicted with confidence by using machine learning methods, a new study from Finland finds.
Scientists have discovered a way to train healthy immune cells to acquire the skills of some tumor cells for a good purpose: to accelerate diabetic wound healing.
Researchers analyzed millions of tweets in the Ukrainian language surrounding the Russian invasion. Their findings paint a worrying picture of the medical conditions in the war-torn country.
Women are told to improve their lifestyle to prevent heart disease while men are advised to take statins. That’s the finding of a study presented at the ESC Asia scientific congress.
A pioneering ‘smart contact lens’ to test the eye in a quick, non-invasive way could prevent deaths caused by fungal eye infections in developing countries.
Dimensions: 650 × 790 × 650 mm (w × d × h)Weight: 110 kgSample throughput: up to 180 tests/hAssays: Comprehensive test menu covers SARS-CoV-2, thyroid, fertility, inflammation, cardiac markers, diabetes, tumor markers and moreHighlights:EXI 1800 is a desktop automatic chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer with compact design which only needs 0.52 m2. With its patented…
Innovative gastrointestinal imaging, medical panel PCs with hygiene optimisation, smartphone-based diagnostic tools, and sustainable hardware setups: At Medica 2022, manufacturers from Taiwan again showed their capability to adapt and provide solutions for a world radically changed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the “Taiwan Excellence” banner, outstanding products from the island nation’s…
Periprosthetic infections and revisions are on the rise in Germany and worldwide, with significant consequences for affected patients as well as for the healthcare systems. Precisely because the number of patients at higher risk of infection in arthroplasty continues to rise, attention is increasingly focused on how this dreaded complication can be avoided.
Innovative smart weighing scales are adding a new dimension to home monitoring for healthcare. By collecting data via sensors and proprietary technology as people stand on them, the scales can assess health metrics to give users more precise measurements for a deeper understanding of their body.
Methamphetamines, cocaine, opiates, and cannabis are associated with an increased likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation, a newly-published 11-year study shows.
Not just uncomfortable, but hard on the heart: Accumulating research suggests a link between hot flashes during the menopause and cardiovascular disease risk in women.
A newly developed capsule that tunnels through mucus in the GI tract could be used to orally administer large protein drugs such as insulin.
A device using next-gen technology to automatically deliver insulin was found to be more effective at maintaining blood glucose levels than standard-of-care management for type 1 diabetes.
A new device for diagnosing bone fragility invented by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has been approved for marketing in the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The device is based on a new approach to assessing bone quality via blood sampling.
The hearts of men and women are different – while this insight has been established for quite some time now, it might even surprise cardiologists just how deep these differences really run. In her presentation at this year’s ESC, Diana Bonderman, MD, gave a comprehensive roundup on sex differences in risk factors and subtypes of heart failure.
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust have developed a new biosensor capable of accurately monitoring the condition of a chronic wound.
Arthroplasty treatment of fragile patients is a major challenge faced by orthopaedic surgeons. The patients, often geriatric, come with a variety of risk factors and comorbidities that can negatively impact the success of an arthroplasty procedure.
Overweight increases the risk of an imbalance in sugar metabolism and even diabetes – but the opposite is also true: insulin production deficits contribute to overweight, a new study shows.
A large epidemiological study shows that patients with an autoimmune disorder have a substantially higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than individuals without autoimmune disease.
With the life expectancy of populations improving, experts believe the rising diagnosis and prevalence of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) will have a significant impact on healthcare services going forward.
The critical times in a woman’s life of pregnancy and the menopause – and their relation to heart health – is explored at the ESC. The defined field of gender-specific cardiology is becoming an increasingly important area of focus, experts say.
A team from Geneva has discovered a molecule that can identify the development of diabetes before the first symptoms appear.
Development of effective live bacterial therapeutics may depend more on using and re-introducing native microbes that can stick around than how the microbes are modified.
A new device, which doesn’t rely on immunosuppressing drugs, may assist efforts to develop an artificial pancreas to treat diabetes.
The main goal of arthroplasty is to relieve pain, improve and restore joint function and recover quality of life. Periprosthetic joint infection remains a complication that has to be taken seriously.
Cardiomyopathy is not a uniform disease. Rather, individual genetic defects lead to heart failure in different ways, an international consortium reports.
Global warming could be especially dangerous for diabetes patients, a new study shows: Exposure to extreme heat was linked with more hospitalizations for diabetes-associated pathologies.
Similar to the way exercise helps muscles adapt to workouts, short, repeated bouts of reduced circulation with a blood pressure cuff may help prevent the worst outcomes of heart attacks and strokes.
MIT researchers produced textiles that sense the wearer’s posture and motions. Their “smart” shoes and mats could be used in applications ranging from health care to prosthetics.
Older people with hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, may be at increased risk of developing dementia.
Researchers created a special ultrathin sensor, spun from gold, that can be attached directly to the skin without irritation or discomfort. The sensor can measure different biomarkers or substances to perform on-body chemical analysis.
People who develop an abnormal heart rhythm after surgery have an increased risk of subsequently being admitted to hospital with heart failure, according to a study of over 3 million patients.
Using deep learning, researchers created AI-driven computer models to analyze corneal and retinal images to help eye doctors in the future.
Reseachers have developed a novel microneedle for injecting therapeutics into the eyes, potentially solving one of the major challenges of treating eye diseases.
Around one in 500 men could be carrying an extra X or Y chromosome – most of them unaware – putting them at increased risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
Individuals with diabetes display a substantially increased risk of disease in left-sided heart valves compared to controls without diabetes, a new comprehensive register study shows.
Over the last 50 years, malaria parasites have developed resistance to seven drugs, but a new way to identify future antimalarials holds promise.
This overview introduces connected and continuous glucose sensing technologies, smart insulin delivery systems and more innovations that help patients and doctors monitor and manage glucose levels and guide decision-making in diabetes care.
When a virus makes its way into the body, one of the immune system’s first responders is a set of pathogen-removal cells called macrophages. But they don’t all target viruses in the same way.
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a smart stent that can monitor hemodynamic parameters. The wireless and battery-free device can transmit the data to the outside of the body.
Cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMH) can have a devastating impact on a patient’s life. Radiologists must learn to recognise these white spots in the brain and conventional imaging may just reveal the tip of the iceberg.
Silk-based material under skin changes color in response to oxygen, and in the future might be adapted to track glucose and other blood components.
Engineers have developed a prototype of a wearable that can continuously monitor several health stats—glucose, alcohol, and lactate levels—simultaneously in real-time.
Scientists have taken the first step to creating the next generation of wearable health monitors, which could monitor the body’s health by detecting the gases released from a person’s skin.
In order to better prevent and restore fertility and reduce the risk of sterility in cancer survivors, researchers investigate the mechanisms behind negative effects of chemotherapy.
Hypothalamic neurons in an animal model directly detect variations in bacterial activity and adapt appetite and body temperature accordingly.
Sleep problems could hint at a heightened risk of heart disease, caution experts at the ESC Preventive Cardiology 2022 congress.
The advantages and limitations of the value of traceability chains in therapeutic drug monitoring will be explored during a key session at the EuroMedLab event.
Researchers have found another long-term complication associated with Covid-19 infections: peripheral neuropathy during and following their bouts with the virus.
Combining questions about a person's health with data from smartwatch sensors, a new app can predict within minutes whether someone is infected with COVID-19.
Researchers pinpoint a sound-sensitive mammalian protein that lets them activate brain, heart or other cells with ultrasound.
Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA) are one of the most important metabolites and energy source of peripheral tissues. The amount of NEFA in serum decreases by physical exercise and increases by starvation, cold or smoking. An increase or decrease is also observed in diabetes, hepatic, or endocrine diseases.
Scientists have found that fat can help the pancreas adapt to excess sugar, thereby slowing the onset of diabetes.
New study results show that though men are more likely to have heart conditions, the impact on their memory and thinking skills is lower.
Progress in miniaturising sensor technology has opened up new possibilities for monitoring vital signs outside the hospital environment. A subset of wearables are the so-called hearables – in-ear devices that are well suited for long-term monitoring as they are non-invasive, inconspicuous and easy to fasten. Hearables offer two major benefits: their proximity to the torso and vascular system of…
The number of gamified mobile applications is rising rapidly—especially in healthcare. Gamified apps or devices are used in many fields, from mental health therapy to stroke rehab to managing metabolic conditions. This article illustrates how gamification is employed in diabetes care.
Drug delivery, blood extraction, contrast agent injection – many procedures in modern medicine would be utterly impossible without needles. Despite the benefits, inserting pointy metal tubes into a patient also comes with several drawbacks. By downscaling the to micrometer-size, Japanese researchers open even more areas of application for needles, while bypassing some of the most important…
Doctors in Lisbon report on the case of a 61-year-old man who received a double lung transplant after his lungs were irreparably damaged by Covid-19.
A novel artificial intelligence score provides a more accurate forecast of the likelihood of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease dying within 10 years than established scores used by health professionals worldwide. The research was presented at EuroEcho 2021, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Even as we battle one pandemic (Covid-19), we sit on the cusp of another. Europe has one of the highest burdens of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the world, driven largely by alcohol overconsumption, viral hepatitis, and obesity. Furthermore, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly common and is a significant contributor to CLD – especially in people with diabetes, where its…
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction was previously considered largely untreatable. A research team at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) led by Professor Michael Gotthardt has now succeeded for the first time in improving cardiac function with the help of a synthetic nucleic acid, as the researchers report in the journal Science…
Professor Dina Tiniakos, from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, predicts that NASH (Non-alcohol related steatohepatitis) cases will soar worldwide by 2030, with 800,000 liver deaths, costing health economies billions of dollars.
Researchers have leveraged the power of digital pathology and computational modeling to detect and quantify podocytes, a specialized type of cell in the kidney that undergoes damaging changes during early-stage kidney disease.
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) demonstrate a thorough and non-invasive imaging technique to identify areas of the eye affected by diabetic retinopathy (DR), a progressive eye disease associated with diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. The researchers have found that blue light can be used to probe the depths of the eye and uncover areas affected by DR.
A research team led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), in collaboration with clinical partners from Singapore General Hospital, has developed a smart wearable sensor that can conduct real-time, point-of-care assessment of chronic wounds wirelessly…
Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed with a whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. This is shown by a current study by researchers from the German Center for Diabetes Research, the Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Tübingen, the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and Tübingen University Hospital. They used…
Machine learning methods are being used to predict the health of the placenta from a 30-second MRI scan. Researchers hope the approach will offer an insight into the health of expectant mothers and unborn babies by detecting the early signs of dangerous conditions such as pre-eclampsia. Researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at King’s College London (KCL)…
Hologic, Inc. shared the findings from its inaugural Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, the world’s most comprehensive, globally comparative survey about women’s health.
When it comes to getting healthy and reducing mortality risk, increasing physical activity and improving fitness appear to be superior to weight loss.
For World Patient Safety Day, Health First Europe (HFE) published a comprehensive insight report on five disease areas that affect millions of European citizens each year and how the European Union could and should do a better job for its citizens.
Researchers at Umeå University now demonstrate a method by which specific cell types in human organs can be studied with micrometer precision. The method can be used to reveal previously unrecognised alterations in the pancreas, but it can also be used to study other human organs and diseases.
Common medications can accumulate in gut bacteria, a new study has found, altering bacterial function and potentially reducing the medications’ effectiveness. These interactions - seen for many drugs including those used to treat depression, diabetes, and asthma - could help researchers to better understand how drug effectiveness and side-effects differ between individuals. The study is…
In a new study, researchers at Lund University and Uppsala University have seen a clear connection between how long a person sleeps and a number of biomarkers linked to cardiometabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Beige is considered a calming paint color, and scientists have new evidence that beige fat has a similar impact on the brain, bringing down the inflammation associated with the more common white fat and providing protection from dementia. They have found that beige fat cells, which are typically intermingled with white fat cells in the subcutaneous fat present on “pear shaped” people, mediate…
A study of more than 18 million pregnancies has shown a strong and graded relationship between women’s heart health and pregnancy outcomes. The research is published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The researchers examined the presence of four risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women prior to pregnancy: unhealthy…
Antibiotics have been at the heart of modern healthcare since the 1950s. They are prescribed prior to an operation to minimise the risk of infection after the operation. Or antibiotics are prescribed to fight an infection. This practice, which might seem straightforward at first glance, has proven to cause a number of problems itself: Over the last twenty years, it has become increasingly clear…
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world, and one of the most difficult to treat. In 2020, an estimated 495,000 individuals worldwide were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and an estimated 466,000 died, according to statistics from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. Most patients with advanced disease die within a year of…
Athletes appear to be almost two and half times more likely than non-athletes to experience irregular heart rhythms (atrial fibrillation), suggests new research. In addition, those athletes involved in mixed sports such as football, rugby or netball appear to have the highest risk when compared with athletes taking part in endurance sports such as Nordic skiing, orienteering or rowing.
Researchers at RMIT University in Australia have developed smart wound dressings with built-in nanosensors that glow to alert patients when a wound is not healing properly. The multifunctional, antimicrobial dressings feature fluorescent sensors that glow brightly under UV light if infection starts to set in and can be used to monitor healing progress.
Women are missing out on appropriate cardiac care because guidelines and medications often fail to take into account gender and conditions that specifically affect the female population. Women are also underrepresented in clinical trials for new cardiac therapies.
New studies demonstrate benefits of dual antibiotic-loaded bone cement (COPAL G+C) to reduce periprosthetic joint infections in risk for infection patients.
For the first time, a prospective, international study has shown that chest pain caused by problems with the very small vessels supplying blood to the heart is an important health problem that increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke and death due to cardiovascular reasons. The study, which is published in the European Heart Journal, recruited 686 patients from 14 institutions in seven…
One in 7 (14%) adults with coronavirus infection developed at least one new condition that required medical care during the post-acute phase of illness, which is 5% higher than adults with no coronavirus infection in 2020, finds a US study published by The BMJ. The post-acute phase in this study started 21 days (or 3 weeks) after initial infection.
An appeal is launched for Health Ministries across Europe to sign the Declaration for Action on the Stroke Action Plan for Europe to tackle one of the leading causes of death and disability. Led by The European Stroke Organisation (ESO) and Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE), the initiative aims to encourage European countries to show their commitment to improving stroke prevention, treatment,…
The Foundation Fighting Blindness has granted 600,000 US$ to help Hendrik Scholl as principal investigator define a novel way of reversing blindness. Hendrik Scholl is Director of the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Professor and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, and Head of the University Hospital’s Eye Clinic in Basel, Switzerland.
A major study from the Washington University School of Medicine details numerous long-term effects of COVID-19, pointing to massive health burden.
First you see it as a transparent shape on a computer screen – a small electronic replica of the human pancreas. Then just 30 seconds later the tissue is printed out on a bioprinter, blood vessels and all, from a sample of human stem cells. This amazing feat is possible thanks to new technology created at EPFL’s Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices (LAPD) and further developed by…
Body composition information derived from routine chest CTs can provide important information on the overall health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including their risk of all-cause mortality. This is the result of a new study, published in Radiology. COPD is a group of chronic, progressive lung diseases that affect about 30 million people in the United States alone.…
People discharged from hospital after Covid-19 appear to have increased risks of diseases across multiple organs and nearly a third are readmitted to hospital in the following months, according to a new study co-led by researchers at University College London. The study, published in The BMJ, looked at nearly 50,000 people who were discharged from hospital by August last year and compared them to…
Recovery duration, co-morbidities, mortality, risk groups: A large UK study reports in detail on 'Long Covid'. We spoke with two of the study's co-investigators about why so many patients are still affected after a coronavirus infection.
Skin swab samples analysed using mass spectrometry could be used to detect Covid-19 in patients, according to research conducted at the University of Surrey in the UK. Current Covid-19 testing is via a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which involves taking a swab of the back of the throat and inside the nose, but the team from Surrey - working with Frimley NHS Trust and the Universities of…
New research has shown that results of blood tests routinely performed by GPs everywhere contain a hidden fingerprint that can identify people silently developing potentially fatal liver cirrhosis. The researchers have developed an algorithm to detect this fingerprint that could be freely installed on any clinical computer, making this a low-cost way for GPs to carry out large scale screening…
Plasma glucose levels are essential for the evaluation of diabetes mellitus as well as gestational diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders in the world. The breakdown of glucose (glycolysis) in venous blood samples is of great significance in pre-analytics, particularly in relation to the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes. Greiner Bio-One…
Los investigadores acaban de establecer un nuevo acrónimo en español con el objetivo de crear un mayor nivel de conciencia en la comunidad hispana acerca de los síntomas de los ataques cerebrales. Conocido como RÁPIDO, la intención de este nuevo acrónimo es replicar el equivalente popular que existe en inglés de FAST. En los estudios se ha mostrado que hoy en día los adultos hispanos…
In vitro diagnostics company EKF Diagnostics announces the global launch of its Stat-Site WB handheld analyzer which delivers β-ketone and glucose measurements from whole blood in seconds. The portable, dual-purpose analyzer is designed for professional use in the management of diabetes patients. The device is used for the quantitative determination of β-ketones (Beta-Hydroxybutyrate or BHB)…
With the first-in-man implantation of the Berlin Heart Venous Cannula at the LMU University Hospital Munich, Germany, Berlin Heart offers patients with a failing Fontan circulation a unique chance to survive the waiting time for a donor heart. These patients are in a life-threatening condition: their health has deteriorated so much that they desperately need a new heart, but because of their poor…
The length of the female reproductive period (the time from the onset of menses to the final menstrual period) has important health implications. A new study compared the length of reproductive periods for women with type 1 diabetes with women without diabetes to confirm the effect diabetes has on the female reproductive system. Study results are published online in Menopause, the journal of The…
Plasma glucose levels are essential for the evaluation of diabetes mellitus as well as gestational diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders in the world. The breakdown of glucose (glycolysis) in venous blood samples is of great significance in pre-analytics, particularly in relation to the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes.
Hemodialysis patients routinely experience side effects such as fatigue, lightheadedness and nausea during their treatment sessions. But patients in a study who used a virtual reality program to engage in a mindfulness/meditation exercise reported that these treatment-related symptoms were greatly reduced. Patients in the study wore a head-mounted virtual reality display to participate in a…
A potential new treatment to protect immunosuppressed patients from human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been discovered by scientists at the University of Cambridge. Their study shows that certain epigenetic inhibitors expose and help to destroy dormant HCMV infections, which often reactivate to cause serious illness and death in these vulnerable groups. Subject to clinical trials, their proposed…
Researchers have called on European policymakers to make adequate resources available to tackle pancreatic cancer, a disease that is almost invariably fatal and where little progress has been made over the past 40 years. In the latest predictions for cancer deaths in the EU and UK for 2021, published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology, researchers led by Carlo La Vecchia (MD), a professor…
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft, stretchy skin patch that can be worn on the neck to continuously track blood pressure and heart rate while measuring the wearer’s levels of glucose as well as lactate, alcohol or caffeine. It is the first wearable device that monitors cardiovascular signals and multiple biochemical levels in the human body at the same…
Apheresis, a procedure that separates and removes particular blood constituents, shows promise for Covid-19 cases: the first patient successfully underwent so-called CRP apheresis, which can prevent potentially fatal consequences of the infection.
Around 50% of patients who have been hospitalised with severe Covid-19 and who show raised levels of a protein called troponin have damage to their hearts. The injury was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at least a month after discharge, according to new findings published in the European Heart Journal. Damage includes inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), scarring or…
The impact of Covid-19 in Africa has been vastly underestimated, warn researchers in a new study. Outside of South Africa, this is the first study to provide systematic surveillance data capturing the impact of Covid-19 in Africa. Their findings are based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results for 364 deceased people of all ages at the University Teaching Hospital morgue in Lusaka,…
Osteoarthritis affects more than 30 million adults and is the fifth-leading cause of disability in the United States. In a new study, scientists have discovered the cellular pathway that leads to the joint disease and have identified a commonly used anti-depressant — paroxetine — that inhibits this pathway.
For the first time, engineered heart muscle (EHM) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) will be used to treat patients with heart failure. After regulatory approval, recruitment of the first patient for the first-in-class, first-in-patient BioVAT-HF early clinical trial has started in Göttingen, Germany.
Providing the blind with visual impressions: That is the aim of the I See project, in which neuroscientists from the University of Bremen are involved. The approach: A miniature camera collects visual information and translates it into signal patterns that are transferred to brain implants.
Researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, the Technical University of Munich and the German Center for Diabetes have discovered a novel and druggable insulin inhibitory receptor, named inceptor. The blocking of inceptor function leads to an increased sensitisation of the insulin signaling pathway in pancreatic beta cells. This might allow protection and regeneration of beta cells for diabetes…
Pregnancy complications and early menopause increase women’s future risk of heart disease. Cardiologists, gynaecologists and endocrinologists recommend how to help middle-aged women prevent later heart problems in a European Society of Cardiology (ESC) consensus document published in European Heart Journal, a journal of the ESC.
For the first time, scientists have come up with a precise atomic level explanation for why glulisine - a commonly used medication to treat diabetes - is faster acting than insulin. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, could have benefits for diabetes patients in ensuring that a more improved insulin can be developed for future treatment. The study was carried out by experts from the…
Scientists have developed a machine-learning method that crunches massive amounts of data to help determine which existing medications could improve outcomes in diseases for which they are not prescribed. The intent of this work is to speed up drug repurposing, which is not a new concept – think Botox injections, first approved to treat crossed eyes and now a migraine treatment and top cosmetic…
All prediabetes is not the same: in people in the preliminary stages of type 2 diabetes, there are six clearly distinguishable subtypes, which differ in the development of the disease, diabetes risk, and the development of secondary diseases. This is shown in a study by the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of Helmholtz Zentrum München at the University of Tübingen,…
Nearly twice as many people were admitted to hospital for Covid-19 at the height of the pandemic than were for influenza at the peak of the 2018/2019 flu season, a study of French national data published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal has found (Covid-19, 89,530 patients vs influenza, 45,819 patients).
Just a few doses of an experimental drug can reverse age-related declines in memory and mental flexibility in mice, according to a new study by UC San Francisco scientists. The drug, called ISRIB, has already been shown in laboratory studies to restore memory function months after traumatic brain injury (TBI), reverse cognitive impairments in Down Syndrome, prevent noise-related hearing loss,…
Rather than using techniques separately, researchers have determined that coupling image-based and serum-based biomarkers achieves a higher diagnostic accuracy in detecting stage two liver fibrosis, or above. The study team, from the NAFLD Research Center, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), and colleagues at Yokohama City University in Japan, used magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)…
Higher than normal blood pressure is linked to more extensive brain damage in the elderly, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal. In particular, the study found that there was a strong association between diastolic blood pressure (the blood pressure between heart beats) before the age of 50 and brain damage in later life, even if the diastolic blood pressure was within…
Experts have identified two distinct immunological and cellular profiles in the lungs of Covid-19 patients which they believe could help define treatment pathways. From some of the earliest Covid-19 autopsies conducted in Europe, Swiss-based researchers have performed integrative digital pathology and transcriptomic analyses of lung tissues of 16 coronavirus patients who died from respiratory…
MEDICA in Düsseldorf is a world-leading platform for the medical technology business and the healthcare industry and has always been one of the places to be for the entire sector as it covers current digital health trends, innovative products and services for linking all of the major stakeholders in medical care. Consequently, digital health is a mainstay of virtual.MEDICA, which, due to the…
How extraordinary it is that the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, is celebrated on the year of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her key nursing values – including regularly washing hands and maintaining good hygiene – and her pioneering work in statistics and data collection have proven more relevant than ever.
Researchers at Duke University and the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a biomaterial that significantly reduces scar formation after wounding, leading to more effective skin healing. This new material, which quickly degrades once the wound has closed, demonstrates that activating an adaptive immune response can trigger regenerative wound healing, leaving behind stronger and…
Asian ethnicity is strongly linked to COVID-related stroke, reveals an analysis of stroke centre activity in England and Scotland during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, and accepted for publication in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Designer Leah Heiss considers her work as creating “emotional technologies”, i.e. wearable devices based on human-centred design principles. For her, empathy is everything!
Specialists from the Department of Fundamental Medicine of Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) with Russian and Japanese colleagues have probed into mechanisms of COVID-19 inside-the-body distribution linked to erythrocytes damaging.
It is only 120 millionths of a millimetre in size but can bring entire countries to a standstill: the Corona virus. Even if it were to disappear one day, viral infections will still be among the most frequent and difficult-to-treat diseases in humans. Even decades of research have only produced a few standardized vaccines and strategies for treatment to combat just a small number of viruses. Nor…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has, for the first time, measured blood flow to the heart to help predict which patients may suffer myocardial infarction or stroke. A research team at University College London and Barts Health NHS Trust and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) in the USA – are optimistic that AI analysis of perfusion maps will be a reliable, convenient and detailed new…
A new study has suggested that more patients could benefit from combinations of cholesterol-lowering drugs to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attacks. While risk is reduced for many patients through taking statins, those at the highest risk of cardiovascular events may benefit from combinations of lipid-lowering therapies, according to the results of a European study of patients across 18…
Michigan State University researchers have created for the first time a miniature human heart model in the laboratory, complete with all primary heart cell types and a functioning structure of chambers and vascular tissue.
Pupil size predicts death and hospital readmission in patients with heart failure, according to new research. “Our results suggest that pupil area is a novel way to identify heart patients at elevated risk of death or hospital readmission,” said study author Dr. Kohei Nozaki of Kitasato University Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan. “This provides an opportunity to intervene and improve outlook.”
Patient data are a treasure trove for AI researchers. There’s a problem though: many algorithms used to mine patient data act as black boxes, which makes their predictions often hard to interpret for doctors. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the Zhejiang University in China have now developed an algorithm that not only predicts hospital readmissions of heart…
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have showed that applying “temporal pressure” to the skin of mice can create a new way to deliver drugs. In a paper published in Science Advances, the researchers showed that bringing together two magnets so that they pinch and apply pressure to a fold of…
A diet high in sugar increases the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer in some people and can also drive the aggressive growth of tumours, a new study finds. During this study, researchers from the University of Surrey, VIB-KU Leuven, Belgium and the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, sought to understand the impact of diet on the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. This rare…
Antibiotic resistance is an increasing battle for scientists to overcome, as more antimicrobials are urgently needed to treat biofilm-associated infections. However, scientists from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick say research into natural antimicrobials could provide candidates to fill the antibiotic discovery gap.
Dr. Jesus Casado Cerrada, Internist at the Hospital Universitario de Getafe and Professor at the Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain, has travelled to the Rasuwa district of Nepal to help a local NGO rebuild the region’s infrastructure following a severe earthquake in 2015. Dr. Casado explains: “University colleagues from the architectural and engineering departments had already established…
Approximately one fifth of COVID-19 patients admitted to German hospitals between the end of February and mid-April died. For patients receiving ventilation, the mortality rate was 53%. For those not receiving ventilation, the rate was significantly lower at 16%. 17% of all patients were ventilated during this period. These are the main results of an analysis by WIdO, the research institute of…
Disruption of gut bacteria by antibiotics soon after birth can affect the maturation of the immune system, say researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Even short, single antibiotic courses given to young animals can predispose them to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when they are older, according to their research. The study, published in Genome Medicine, provides further evidence…
Using a simple urine test alongside routine imaging for patients with adrenal masses could speed up adrenal cancer diagnosis, improving patient’s prognosis and reducing the need for invasive diagnostic procedures, a new multi-centre study has found.
There are at least 10 risk factors that appear to have a significant impact on a person’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease that could be targeted with preventative steps, new research suggests. Focusing on these factors, which include cognitive activity, high body mass index in late life, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure, could provide clinicians with an evidence…
Computed tomography (CT) is one of the most important imaging options for the diagnostics of patients. For a long time, in clinical routine CT technology mostly showed the Hounsfield Units (HU) that are indicated in the grayscale. However, the Dual Energy CT (DECT) enables colored X-ray images, therefore significantly improving examination methods. “We can also do material separation and get a…
Focused on updating healthcare through digitisation, 41 experts and around 500 delegates gathered for the 4th ‘Digital Health Conference’ late in 2019. At the Berlin venue, they focused on solutions such as the potential lack of skilled staff, demographic changes, urbanisation and multimorbidity.
Nanoelectronics and digital technologies R&D and innovation hub Imec recently received NASA funding to test a new technology in a gravity-free environment. Eventually, this will enable astronauts to perform blood tests to monitor their health. We discussed the project and technology with Nicolas Vergauwe, CEO of miDiagnostics, the Leuven firm that developed the diagnostic device, and Susana B…
The human species maintains symbiotic relationships with a multitude of microbial organisms that colonise the inside as well as the surface of the body. Scientists, for a long time, underestimated the significance of these organisms for humans.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected children with direct impacts of the infection as well as on them leading normal lives. Schooling, play and vaccinations are among issues that can affect children’s health. Delay in taking paediatric patients to the emergency room (ER) has also had a negative impact, for example late treatment of acute appendicitis. Two experts from Spain tackled these topics…
The discovery of two novel biomarkers, called FKBPL and CD44, has the potential to change the way preeclampsia is managed according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Preeclampsia can cause high blood pressure and organ failure in mothers and lead to preterm births and even stillbirth.
East Germany has many more hospitalisations for heart failure compared to West Germany despite a nationwide healthcare system, according to research presented today on HFA Discoveries, a scientific platform of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Heart failure is the most common reason for hospital admissions and is responsible for a large part of the total health expenditure on…
To develop and manufacture COVID-19 test kits in massive quantities was not part of their 2020 business plans. Yet, as the epidemic evolved into a global pandemic, the urgent need for diagnostic and antibody SARS-CoV-2 test kits triggered an unprecedented scramble among medical manufacturers.
A new joint report from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) presents the largest venture ever on precision medicine in diabetes. The report includes a detailed overview and roadmap for how this new approach to diabetes medicine can be evaluated and implemented into clinical practice.
Resistance of cancer cells against therapeutic agents is a major cause of treatment failure, especially in recurrent diseases. An international team around the biochemists Robert Ahrends from the University of Vienna and Jan Medenbach from the University of Regensburg identified a novel mechanism of chemoresistance which has now been published in "Nature Communications". It is driven by…
University of Melbourne researchers are finding ways to beat dangerous superbugs with ‘resistance resistant’ antibiotics, and it could help in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) complications. As bacteria evolve, they develop strategies that undermine antibiotics and morph into ‘superbugs’ that can resist most available treatments and cause potentially lethal infections. The…
Age, male sex, obesity, and underlying illness have emerged as risk factors for severe and fatal cases of COVID-19 in the UK, according to the largest cohort study to date published by The BMJ. As the largest prospective observational study reported worldwide to date, it provides a comprehensive picture of the characteristics of patients hospitalised in the UK with COVID-19 and their outcomes.…
In an international collaboration led by Lund University in Sweden, researchers have used synchrotron light to study what happens to the nerves in diabetes. The technique shows the 3D-structure of nerve fibers in very high resolution. “This knowledge can be used to map mechanisms for how nerve fibers atrophy and grow back. It means that we can better understand how diabetes affects the nerves…
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought more strain on healthcare systems but it has also highlighted the necessity to integrate social care to healthcare to protect the most vulnerable populations in ageing societies, an eminent healthcare consultant told us in an exclusive interview.
Diabetes is called an incurable disease because once it develops, it does not disappear regardless of treatment in modern medicine. Having diabetes means a life-long obligation of insulin shots and monitoring of blood glucose levels. Recently, a research team at Pohang University of Science and Technology developed a wirelessly driven ‘smart contact lens’ technology that can detect diabetes…
The remote patient monitoring technology and devices market has attracted significant investment in the past decade and is growing at an extraordinary rate. Expected to reach around 28 billion euros by the end of 2023, this market is very attractive to many big name companies that want to be ‘connected’ such as Qualcomm Life, Inc., OSI Systems, Inc., Philips Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories…
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have found an association between living in an area of England with high levels of air pollution and the severity of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Because of the urgent need to share information relating to the pandemic, the researchers have published their report on MedRXiv. It has not yet been peer-reviewed. However, the…
Death rates from prostate cancer are predicted to fall in 2020 in the EU, largely due to better diagnosis and treatment, according to new research published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology. In the latest predictions for cancer deaths in the EU for 2020, researchers led by Carlo La Vecchia (MD), Professor at the School of Medicine, University of Milan (Italy), show that since 2015…