Releasing Brakes: Potential New Methods for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Therapies
Testing of small molecules in mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy shows promise for restoration of muscle structure and function.
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Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Fewer Steroids, No Plasma Exchange: A Change in Treatment for Vasculitis
The insights from the PEXIVAS Trial, a 10-year study, shows treatment for ANCA-associated vasculitis can become much more patient-friendly by using half the typical dose of steroids and no blood plasma exchanges
Read morePatients Stick with Smartphone Activity Trackers Longer Than Wearable Devices
Six months after discharge, smartphone users were 32 percent more likely to continue sending health data to researchers than those using wearables
Read morePenn’s Community Health Worker Program Yields $2.47 for Every $1 Invested Annually by Medicaid
Every dollar spent on patients receiving support from Penn Medicine’s community health worker (CHW) program resulted in an annual return on investment (ROI) of $2.47 for every dollar invested annually by Medicaid, according to a new study published online today in Health Affairs. The savings are generated by reducing hospitalizations.
Read morePenn Study Paves Way for New Vaccines to Protect Infants Against Infections
A new Penn Medicine study puts researchers within closer reach of vaccines that can protect infants against infections by overcoming a mother’s antibodies, which are known to shut down immune defenses initiated by conventional vaccines. That hurdle largely explains why vaccinations for infectious diseases like influenza and measles not given until six to 12 months of age. Findings from the preclinical study were published online today in Science Translational Medicine.
Read moreBystander CPR Less Likely for People Living in Hispanic Neighborhoods Compared to Non-Hispanic Neighborhoods
People living in predominately Hispanic neighborhoods are less likely to receive CPR from a bystander following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest compared to people living in non-Hispanic neighborhoods, researchers from Penn Medicine and the Duke University of School of Medicine reported in the journal Circulation. This same group also had a lower likelihood of survival.
Read moreDirect-to-Consumer Fertility Tests Confuse and Mislead Consumers, Penn Study Shows
Direct-to-consumer hormone-based “fertility testing” for women is viewed by consumers as both an alternative, empowering tool for family planning, and a confusing and misleading one, according to the results of a new study from Penn Medicine. Findings from the small, first-of-its-kind ethnographic study reinforce the need for consumer education around the purpose and accuracy of the tests, which have seen increasing interest in recent years due to the low cost and widespread availability. The study was published in the journal of Social Science and Medicine.
Read moreWhen Automotive Assembly Plants Close, Deaths from Opioid Overdoses Rise
Closing of local automotive assembly plants may lead to increases in deaths from opioid overdose, according to a study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts General Hospital. The findings highlight fading economic opportunity as a driving factor in the ongoing national opioid epidemic, and build on previous research that links declining participation in the labor force to increased opioid use in the U.S. The findings are published today in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Read moreGenetic Breakthrough Identifies Heart Failure Risk in African and Latino Americans
Findings may inform genetic screening test for patients at risk and medically under-served
Read morePeople in Counties with Worse Economies Post-Recession Are More Likely to Die from Heart Disease
Communities in the United States that experienced the most economic distress in the wake of the Great Recession saw a significant increase in death rates from heart disease and strokes among middle-aged people, according to a new multi-institution study led by researchers at Penn Medicine.
Read moreTaller People Have Increased Risk for Developing Atrial Fibrillation
Taller people have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation, according to a new Penn Medicine study. The research is the among the first to demonstrate that height may be a causal—not correlated—risk factor for AFib.
Read moreAlgorithm Identifies Cancer Patients in Need of Advance Care Planning Conversations
The newly developed system prioritizes patients so that cancer doctors have conversations about their values and goals before it is too late.
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