Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system in which the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord resulting in symptoms such as numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory problems, pain, fatigue, blindness, and paralysis. A survey of 2,100 adult MS patients and 3,000 otherwise healthy adults revealed that sleeping less than…

With the aid of information from the Danish national medical database, researchers observed an association between frequent antibiotic use and an elevated risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The finding underscores the importance of avoiding antibiotic overuse as several studies have found up to half of antibiotic prescriptions may be unnecessary. Gut, January 2023

Following an analysis of data concerning 3.5 million Danish adults, researchers report that for every 10-decibel increase in noise in an individual’s home from nearby roadways, the risk for tinnitus increases by 6%. The research team speculates that traffic noise may indirectly affect tinnitus risk as living near a busy road may affect sleep quality,…

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) recently conducted a poll of 2,199 adults and found that only 55% could provide CPR, 47% knew how to apply a tourniquet to control severe bleeding, and 29% felt they could use an automated external defibrillator to address sudden cardiac arrest. American College of Emergency Physicians, January 2023

Using data from two nationally representative surveys, researchers report that 26% of young adults are estranged from their fathers, while 6% are estranged from their mothers. Journal of Marriage and Family, December 2022

With the aid of the Cardiac Arrest Pursuit Trial with Unique Registry and Epidemiologic Surveillance database, researchers calculate that obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk for sudden cardiac arrest in individuals without coronary artery disease by 62%. Yonsei Medical Journal, January 2023

For individuals with both asthma and obstructive sleep apnea, a recent study found that treatment with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device led to patient-reported improvements in asthma symptoms in 51.5% of participants. Sleep Medicine, January 2023

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition that occurs when fat accumulates in the liver from causes other than excessive alcohol consumption, and it is associated with a number of poor health outcomes. Following an analysis of national health survey data from 2005-2018, researchers report that NAFLD patients are 3.5 times more likely to…

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity is characterized as having two of the following three conditions: hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Past research has shown that individuals who meet these criteria have a 12-15 reduced life expectancy. A recent study found that depression is associated with up to a 68% increased risk for developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity during a twelve-year…

The March of Dimes reports that 10.5% of all babies born in 2021 were delivered before full term, a level not seen in nearly 15 years. The organization attributes the increase to reduced access to prenatal care and an increased incidence of gestational diabetes and hypertension. March of Dimes, November 2022