Milan, Italy: Neuropathy, a disorder in which damage to nerves can impair sensation and movement, has many causes, including infection1. Now, researchers from the UK have identified distinct genetic changes in a newly-discovered neuropathy and believe that their work will provide insights into the causal mechanism and why some previously healthy people develop neuropathies after […]
New blood test enables the rapid diagnosis of thousands of rare genetic diseases
Milan, Italy: A new, rapid testing method will greatly help the diagnosis of rare diseases in babies and children, according to research to be presented to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics. While rare genetic diseases are uncommon, as their name suggests, there are more than 7,000 types of disease caused […]
Early prediction of preterm birth in cell-free RNA may revolutionise prevention strategies
Milan, Italy: Children born before 37 weeks of gestation have a considerably increased risk of dying before they reach the age of five. Predicting the risk of preterm birth (PTB) and hence implementing preventive strategies is complicated by the heterogeneity of the condition, the many unknown mechanisms involved, and the lack of reliable predictive tools. […]
European regulation needed to prevent the birth of children with inherited cancer-causing genetic mutation after sperm donation
Milan, Italy: A case in which a sperm donor was later found to be carrying a cancer-causing pathogenic variant in his gametes has highlighted the problems of regulating gamete donation at European and international level, the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics will hear on Saturday. Dr Edwige Kasper, a specialist in […]
Male bodybuilders face high risk of sudden cardiac death, especially those who compete professionally
Sudden cardiac death is responsible for an unusually high proportion of deaths in male bodybuilders worldwide with the highest risk among professional bodybuilders, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Sudden cardiac death is when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly due to a problem with their heart. It is generally rare in […]
Two out of five patients with heart failure do not see a cardiologist even once a year and these patients are more likely to die
If you have cancer, you expect to see an oncologist, but if you have heart failure you may or may not see a cardiologist. According to research published in the European Heart Journal [1], only around three out of five heart failure patients see a cardiologist at least once a year. The study, also presented […]
Asthma attacks more common for some women taking the progesterone-only pill
— Study sheds light on why women face higher risk of death from asthma — A major study of around 260,000 women shows that taking the progesterone-only contraceptive pill can increase asthma attacks in some women. The research, published in ERJ Open Research [1], shows an increase in asthma attacks in women with asthma who […]
A healthy diet in childhood is linked to starting menstrual periods later, regardless of BMI or height
First study to link certain diets to age of menarche Eating a healthy diet as a child is linked to girls having their first menstrual period at an older age than those who consumed a less healthy diet, according to a new study published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine […]
Shingles vaccine lowers the risk of heart disease for up to eight years
People who are given a vaccine for shingles have a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease, according to a study of more than a million people published in the European Heart Journal. The protective effect of the vaccine lasts for up to eight years and is particularly […]
Thousands of lives could be saved by combining two cholesterol-lowering drugs
Largest study to date suggests patients at high risk of heart attacks and strokes should be treated immediately with a combination of a statin and ezetimibe London, UK: The largest analysis to examine the best way to lower levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in patients with blocked arteries shows that they should immediately be given a […]