Medical Bulletin 21/September/2023

Here are the top medical news of the day:

Excess screen in children linked to delayed development : Study

A new study conducted in Japan highlights the potential negative effects of excessive television screen time on child development in early childhood. The research, was published in a recent issue of JAMA Pediatr. explores the relationship between screen time and developmental outcomes in children aged 1 to 3 years.

Although pediatric guidelines recommend that screen viewing be avoided for infants younger than 2 years and limited to 1 hour per day between the ages of 2 and 5 years, many children fail to adhere to these recommendations. Excessive screen time in children younger than 3 years is associated with adverse effects on cognitive, language, motor skills, and social-behavioral development.

Reference: Yamamoto M, Mezawa H, Sakurai K, Mori C, Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group. Screen Time and Developmental Performance Among Children at 1-3 Years of Age in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. JAMA Pediatr. Published online September 18, 2023. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3643

Arcutis Biotherapeutics eczema treatment cream Roflumilast met primary endpoints

Arcutis Biotherapeutics announced that the INTEGUMENT-PED pivotal Phase 3 trial of roflumilast cream 0.05%, in children ages 2 to 5 years with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) met its primary endpoint and all secondary endpoints. In the study, 25.4% of children using roflumilast cream 0.05% achieved skin improvement by Week 4, compared to 10.7% in the control group. Improvement was noticeable as early as Week 1.

Arcutis Biotherapeutics announced that the INTEGUMENT-PED pivotal Phase 3 trial of roflumilast cream 0.05%, in children ages 2 to 5 years with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) met its primary endpoint and all secondary endpoints. In the study, 25.4% of children using roflumilast cream 0.05% achieved skin improvement by Week 4, compared to 10.7% in the control group. Improvement was noticeable as early as Week 1.

Traumatic brain injury may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease even decades later

A new review paper by investigators from Mass General Brigham presents key findings on long-term associations between Traumatic brain injury or TBI and cardiovascular disease, highlighting that nervous system dysfunction, neuroinflammation, changes in the brain-gut connection, and post-injury comorbidities may elevate the risk of both cardiovascular and cognitive dysfunction in TBI survivors compared to the general population. The review, published in The Lancet Neurology, emphasizes the need for future cardiovascular research, surveillance, and intervention in TBI survivors.

Reference: Izzy, S et al. “Long-term risk of cardiovascular disease after traumatic brain injury: an opportunity for proactive screening and prevention” Lancet Neurology DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(23)00241-7