Psoriasis Action Month marks a time to raise awareness about a systemic inflammatory disease with effects that extend far beyond the skin.
“Despite the skin being the most visible manifestation of this condition, psoriasis is more than a skin disease,” Rebecca Y. Dufner, MD, MBA, FAAD, a dermatologist at U.S. Dermatology Partners, told Healio. “Inflammation does not necessarily stop at the skin. Psoriasis affects everything.”
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis. Of this patient population, 80% have overweight or obesity — conditions which

Inhaled cannabis use was associated with acute reductions in ectopic heart beats vs. nonuse, mainly driven by reductions in premature atrial contractions, researchers reported.
The present study among habitual cannabis users identified certain acute effects of the drug on cardiac function, but no impact on daily steps count, sleep duration and glucose changes on days of use vs. nonuse was observed, according to data published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“Recreational cannabis is now legal in more than half the U.S. and is becoming more commonly used, but we know very

In June, the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, American Diabetes Association and American Society of Nephrology issued the first cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic guideline.
The guideline provided definitions and recommendations across the four stages of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. The guidance also highlighted the importance of a coordinated care team, which can include cardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists and primary care physicians, among other healthcare professionals.
Healio spoke with Sonal Chandra, MD, cardiologist and medical

Semaglutide and tirzepatide may reduce risk for alcohol-related hospitalizations for adults with type 2 diabetes, obesity or alcohol use disorder, according to findings published in BMJ Open.
“Our findings show an association, not causal effect, between GLP-1 use and short-term alcohol use disorder outcomes,” Hemalkumar B. Mehta, MS, PhD, associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Healio. “GLP-1s are not approved for alcohol use disorder yet. Potential indications for GLP-1s are expanding as these drugs continue to offer benefits across several diseases. We

Adults with active COPD starting azithromycin vs. roflumilast had a decreased risk for first moderate or severe COPD exacerbation, according to findings published in BMJ.
“I will be more likely now to reach for azithromycin,” William B. Feldman, MD, MPH, PhD, pulmonologist and health services researcher at UCLA Health, told Healio.
“Ultimately, COPD can be a debilitating disease, and we not only need new therapies to treat patients, but we also need more evidence to guide decision-making for therapies that are currently available,” Feldman added. “This most recent study fits within a broader

Fecal microbiota transplantation via frozen “poop pills” may be a promising treatment option for adults with peanut allergy, according to a press release from Boston Children’s Hospital.
In an open-label phase 1 trial supported by Food Allergy Fund, researchers assessed 15 adults with peanut allergy who reacted to traces of peanut to determine if oral encapsulated fecal microbiota transplantation is safe and the impact it has on peanut tolerance. Five adults received antibiotics before transplantation, and 10 did not.
A total of six adults (three from the antibiotic group and three from the

Postmenopausal women with breast cancer who reside in more socioeconomic deprived areas may not derive as much cognitive benefit from aerobic exercise as those who reside in more advantaged areas, noted Myeong-ga Cho, PhD, RN.
In a Healio video exclusive, Cho detailed how aerobic exercise, neighborhood deprivation and epigenetic aging could influence cognitive outcomes among postmenopausal women with breast cancer.
“What we found was that area deprivation was associated with greater aging acceleration and we also found that greater aging acceleration was associated with cognitive function,”

An investigational anti-TL1A monoclonal antibody achieved “clinically meaningful” outcomes compared with placebo in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, according to results of the RELIEVE UCCD trial.
Duvakitug (TEV-48574; Teva Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi) demonstrated efficacy in clinical remission at week 14 among patients with ulcerative colitis and in endoscopic response among those with Crohn’s disease, with no new safety concerns identified.
Existing therapies for moderately to severely active CD and UC often are associated with adverse events, and patients do not always achieve

The FDA has approved a pair of prefilled autoinjector formulations for the Stelara biosimilar ustekinumab-kfce, according to a press release from the manufacturer.
Ustekinumab-kfce (Yesintek, Biocon Limited) will now be offered in a 45 mg/0.5 ml single-dose prefilled autoinjector and a 90 mg/ml single-dose prefilled autoinjector. The biosimilar is indicated for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis in adult and pediatric patients 6 years and older, as well as moderate to severely active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in adults.
“This new delivery

Capgras syndrome causes people to believe that a loved one is an impostor. A Mayo Clinic review of 204 patients points overwhelmingly to one brain disease.