TOP MEDICAL NEWS 21/July/2022

Patients who contract COVID-19 face a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, particularly in the three months following infection, according to a new study published July 19th in the open access journal PLOS Medicine.

In the new study, researchers investigated whether a sample of COVID-19 patients developed new cases of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at higher rates than a sample of people who have never had the disease in the year following infection. They analyzed anonymized medical records from more than 428,000 COVID-19 patients, and the same number of control individuals, matched by age, sex, and family practice.

Reference: "COVID-19 patients more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases and diabetes soon after infection"; PLOS JOURNAL, PLoS Medicine; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004052.

2. Childcare stress, burnout, intent to leave the job among health care workers during COVID-19

The findings in JAMA Network Open, suggest there is an association between reporting high Childcare stress and burnout, and programs to reduce Childcare stress may be beneficial for workers and health systems.

This survey study, coping with COVID, a brief work-life and wellness survey of US health care workers, was conducted, assessing Childcare stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, workload, and work intentions. The survey was distributed to clinicians and staff in participating health care organizations with more than 100 physicians.

Reference: Harry EM, Carlasare LE, Sinsky CA, et al. Childcare Stress, Burnout, and Intent to Reduce Hours or Leave the Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among US Health Care Workers. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(7):e2221776. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.21776.

3. Real-world data links rosuvastatin with signs of kidney damage

Statins can effectively lower high cholesterol, and many individuals take rosuvastatin, one member of this drug class. New research based on patient health records and published in JASN suggests that rosuvastatin, especially at higher doses, may have damaging effects on the kidneys.

Reports had linked rosuvastatin with signs of kidney damage—hematuria (blood in the urine) and proteinuria (protein in the urine)—at the time of its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, but little post-marketing surveillance exists to assess real-world risk. To investigate, researchers analyzed electronic health record data for 152,101 new users of rosuvastatin and 795,799 new users of another statin called atorvastatin.

Reference: "Real-world data links rosuvastatin with signs of kidney damage"; AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY JOURNAL, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology; DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2022020135

4. Hormone replacement therapy doesn't lead to breast cancer reoccurrence

A new paper in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, published by Oxford University Press, finds that menopausal hormone therapy for breast cancer survivors is not associated with breast cancer reoccurrence, despite worries among some researchers and physicians.

Hot flashes and night sweats, as well as vaginal dryness and urinary tract infections, plague breast cancer survivors frequently. These symptoms worsen the quality of life and can lead patients to discontinue therapy. These symptoms may be alleviated by vaginal estrogen therapy or menopausal hormone therapy. However, the safety of systemic and vaginal estrogen use among breast cancer survivors, particularly those with estrogen receptor-positive disease, has been unclear.

Reference: "Hormone replacement therapy doesn't lead to breast cancer reoccurrence"; OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS USA, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac112