Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are younger, healthier than influenza patients

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were more likely male, younger, and, in both the US and Spain, had fewer comorbidities and lower medication use than hospitalized influenza patients according to a recent study published by the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) community. OHDSI has established an international network of researchers and observational health databases…

Study offers global review of impact of COVID-19 on cancer treatment and research

BOSTON – The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted virtually every aspect of cancer care and research- from introducing new risks for cancer patients to disrupting the delivery of cancer treatment and the continuity of cancer research, a review of scientific literature shows. The report, by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other institutions, suggests that while…

Evidence of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s & MND in brains of young people exposed to dirty air

Researchers looking at the brainstems of children and young adults exposed lifelong to air pollution in Mexico City have discovered disturbing evidence of harm. Previous studies have linked fine particulate air pollution exposure with Alzheimer’s disease, and researchers have also reported evidence of air pollution-derived nanoparticles in the frontal cortex of the brain. But after…

Do eyeglasses help keep coronavirus out? Johns Hopkins expert says more evidence needed

During the current pandemic, we’ve all been advised to protect ourselves from infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 by masking, physical distancing and frequent hand-washing. In the Sept. 17 issue of JAMA Ophthalmology, a research team in China suggests that a fourth defensive measure also might be helpful: eye protection. However, according to…

CDC: Coronavirus May Be Adrift in Indoor Air

Two weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took down a statement about airborne transmission of the coronavirus, the agency on Monday replaced it with language citing new evidence that the virus can spread beyond six feet indoors. “These transmissions occurred within enclosed spaces that had inadequate ventilation,” the new guidance said. “Sometimes…