Consistent evidence supports a link between exposure to wildfire smoke and increased pulmonary morbidity, with multiple studies showing associations between levels of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) from wildfires and rates of hospitalization and emergency department (ED) visits for respiratory illnesses such as acute bronchitis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.1-3 Additionally, some studies have demonstrated associations between exposure to wildfire smoke and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). “Emerging data suggests that wildfire smoke exposure increases ca ..read more

Earlier menopause and higher cardiovascular disease risk are associated with lower cognitive scores, according to study results published in Neurology journal. Menopausal hormonal changes and vascular risk factors have been implicated in risk for Alzheimer disease. Researchers studied the link between age at menopause, vascular risk, and prospective cognition using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Eligible participants were aged between 45 and 85 and underwent cognitive testing and physical assessments at baseline and at 3 years follow-up. Vascular risk was quantified ..read more

Higher educational attainment is associated with better functional performance in Black patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology, with the effect being more significant among noncarriers of the apolipoprotein E (APOE)ε4 allele, according to study results published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The risk factors for cognitive and functional impairments in AD pathology is poorly understood. Researchers conducted a study to assess the impact of education attainment on functional performance in Black patients with AD pathology, and whether this effect varies between carriers and noncarri ..read more

HealthDay News — For hospitalized patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) and dysphagia, those receiving thick liquids are less likely to be intubated but have no difference in hospital mortality compared with those receiving thin liquids, according to a study published online May 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Alexander Makhnevich, M.D., from Northwell in New Hyde Park, New York, and colleagues examined whether a diet of thick versus thin liquids is associated with improved outcomes for hospitalized patients with ADRD and dysphagia. Adults aged 65 years and older with ADRD ..read more

HealthDay News — For adolescents scheduled for surgery, the prevalence of cannabis use disorder (CUD) is increasing and is associated with higher odds of postoperative complications, according to a study published online May 6 in Pediatrics. Brittany L. Willer, M.D., from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University in Columbus, and colleagues performed a retrospective, 1:1 propensity-matched cohort study of adolescents with and without CUD who underwent inpatient operations from 2009 to 2022. The trend in prevalence of CUD was examined as the primary outcome. Overall, 2,60 ..read more

Over 25% of patients, especially in females and those under 40, still experience headaches a year after a traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to study findings published in The Journal of Headache and Pain. Posttraumatic headache is a common symptom that occurs after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Researchers conducted large-scale, prospective longitudinal studies to establish the prevalence of long-term headache and associated factors after TBI. Data sourced from the core study of the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) was eva ..read more

While older adults prescribed long-term opioids agreed with their primary care providers (PCPs) that opioids can be a beneficial last resort to improve quality of life, they often disagreed with their PCPs about stopping opioid prescriptions, according to study results published in JAMA Network Open. In terms of opioid prescribing for older adults, revised 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend discussing with patients every 3 months the benefits vs harms of long-term opioid therapy and following up with patients at least once a month when tapering opioids ..read more

Peer recovery support following an opioid overdose is associated with higher rates of postdischarge medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) initiation and lower rates of repeat medically treated overdoses, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open. The opioid crisis in the United States is a well-documented public health concern. Emergency departments (EDs) play a vital role in helping overdose survivors, yet many patients leave without adequate support, which results in poor long-term patient outcomes and treatment utilization. Although recent research indicates that introducing ..read more

The risk for dementia is greater in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status in New Zealand. Moreover, decades before dementia is diagnosed, residents of these neighborhoods have more dementia-risk factors and brain-structure antecedents. These are the findings of a study published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Researchers conducted an observational birth-cohort analysis to determine if dementia diagnoses followed neighborhood socioeconomic gradients across New Zealand. To assess dementia in the New Zealand population, data were sourced from the New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure o ..read more

HealthDay News — Nonmotor seizures are often missed in the emergency department and are only realized after conversion to motor seizures, according to a study published online May 1 in Neurology. Nora Jandhyala, from NYU Langone Health in New York City, and colleagues investigated recognition of motor versus nonmotor seizures in the emergency department among 83 individuals (ages 12 to 18 years) who where neurotypical and within four months of treatment initiation for focal epilepsy. The researchers found that 70 percent of participants presented to an emergency department before diagnosi ..read more