Stroke mimics have greater risk factor for PTSD symptoms than actual stroke

Stroke mimics were a greater risk factor for developing PTSD symptoms than a confirmed stroke or transient ischemic attack, according to a prospective observational cohort study published in General Hospital Psychiatry.
One out of four patients who visit the ED with stroke-like symptoms are diagnosed with a stroke mimic, which can include migraine, peripheral neuropathy, vertigo and other conditions, the study authors wrote.
The research team enrolled 1,000 patients who went to Milstein Hospital of New York-Presbyterian’s ED for a suspected stroke between October 2016 and November 2021.

Population-based eGFR data may help identify kidney failure risks

Identifying population-based eGFR distributions may help to identify patients at risk for developing chronic kidney disease earlier, according to study data published in Kidney International.
More than 90% of adults in Stockholm have normal kidney function with an eGFR greater than 60 mL/min/1.73 m², according to Juan-Jesus Carrero, PhD, professor in the department of medical epidemiology and biostatistics at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and colleagues. However, this eGFR value could still indicate risks for kidney failure based on a patient’s age or sex, they wrote.
“In practice,

The ‘zombie cell’ effect: New study explains chemotherapy resistance in lung and ovarian cancers

Researchers have identified a biological mechanism that helps explain why some lung and ovarian cancers become resistant to chemotherapy, offering insight into why cancers recur. The study, published in Nature Aging this month, investigated how platinum-based chemotherapies such as cisplatin negatively affect tumor behavior in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Although these treatments are widely used, their long-term effectiveness is often limited when tumors return or stop responding.

Sex hormone levels may impact cardiovascular risk for men

In men with type 2 diabetes, higher baseline testosterone may reduce risk for cardiovascular events, whereas greater change in estradiol after weight loss may raise CV risk.
However, there was no relationship between sex hormones and CV events in women with type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis of data from the Look AHEAD trial published in Diabetes Care.
In Look AHEAD, researchers assessed risk for adverse cv outcomes among adults with type 2 diabetes plus overweight or obesity who participated in intensive lifestyle intervention compared with those receiving diabetes education. As Healio

How physicians can maximize their social media presence

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Social media is a vital component for running a successful practice that attracts and maintains patients, according to a speaker at South Beach Symposium.
“A study from 2019 revealed that almost 80% of Americans have a social media profile,” Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, a double board-certified pediatric and cosmetic dermatologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, said during the presentation. “Over 99% of United States hospitals use at least one social media platform to interact with patients.”
Social media has transitioned from a source of entertainment to a necessity for professional

Men lose their Y chromosome as they age: Scientists thought it didn’t matter—but now we’re learning more

Men tend to lose the Y chromosome from their cells as they age. But because the Y bears few genes other than for male determination, it was thought this loss would not affect health. But evidence has mounted over the past few years that when people who have a Y chromosome lose it, the loss is associated with serious diseases throughout the body, contributing to a shorter lifespan.

Mobile health intervention raises tobacco abstinence in TB

More daily smokers with tuberculosis receiving a mobile health intervention achieved self-reported and biochemically verified continuous tobacco abstinence at 6 months vs. usual care, according to data published in JAMA.
“[Mobile health] is a feasible, effective and potentially scalable means of supporting tobacco cessation,” Maham Zahid, PhD, research fellow/quantitative research coordinator at The Initiative, Islamabad, and colleagues wrote.
In a multicenter, cluster randomized clinical trial, Zahid and colleagues evaluated 1,080 daily smokers in Bangladesh and Pakistan aged at least 15 years