Transparency lacking in corticosteroid trials for osteoarthritis

Conflict of interest reporting is flawed and inconsistent across clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of corticosteroid injections in knee osteoarthritis, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.
“Corticosteroids have demonstrated short-term efficacy and are recommended in several guidelines for various lengths of symptomatic relief,” Craig Vecchiarelli, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, of Bellin College, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and colleagues wrote. “However, some have called into question the benefits of corticosteroid injections, specifically the lack of

Meningococcal B vaccination does not reduce gonorrhea, trial results show

Contrary to existing evidence from observational studies, the meningococcal B vaccine (4CMenB) has no effect on preventing the acquisition of gonorrhea, according to the results of the world's largest randomized control trial (RCT) into possible efficacy, conducted by Griffith University's Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics and the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.

Frequently distracted? Your brain rhythms may be to blame

Scientists may have new answers to why pop-ups or notifications grab our attention. Turns out our attention is on a cycle, shifting seven to 10 times per second. This rhythmic occurrence may be crucial for survival, as it prevents us from becoming overly focused on one thing in our environment. It could help us to see a car backing up in a parking lot while we search for where we parked, or to duck to avoid a low-hanging tree branch on a walk while watching a kid ride a bike.

Differing immune responses in infants may explain increased severity of RSV over SARS-CoV-2

Young infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) often become much sicker than those infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In a study published in Science Translational Medicine, scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) report that the two respiratory viruses trigger different immune responses. Those differences might explain why these two diseases have different clinical outcomes and require different treatment strategies.

GLP-1 drugs combined with healthy lifestyle habits linked to reduced cardiovascular risk among diabetes patients

Individuals living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) had a significantly lower risk of poor cardiovascular health when they used a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) in combination with adhering to healthy lifestyle habits, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System.