Research News

Covid-19: Nearly 20% of patients receive psychiatric diagnosis within three months of covid, study finds

Antibiotics are as good as surgery for appendicitis, study reports

Black babies are less likely to die when cared for by black doctors, US study finds

Mortality rates are lower with higher continuity of care, review finds

Urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer associated with lower mortality, study claims

Covid-19: death rate is 0.66% and increases with age, study estimates

Targeted screening in routine primary care detects lung cancer in 2% of high risk patients, study finds

Macrolide antibiotics in pregnancy are linked with birth defects, study suggests

Lung cancer: CT screening in former or current smokers significantly reduces mortality, study finds

Meningitis vaccine: cases fall in UK, but herd immunity remains elusive in Australia

Obesity surgery does not lead to long term alleviation of mental health problems in teens, study finds

Clinical trial reporting: compliance with US rules is poor and not improving, study finds

High levels of bad cholesterol in early middle age are linked to CVD risk decades later, study finds

Declining US life expectancy is driven by more than just opioids, study finds

Study links air pollution to several new causes of hospital admissions

Inducing labour at 41 weeks may be safer than “wait and see” approach, study finds

Sepsis: digital monitoring improves outcomes by alerting clinicians to deteriorating patients, study finds

Study records improved blood flow within a month of replacing cigarettes with vaping

China’s organ donation figures appear to be falsified, study claims

Rates of colorectal cancer after negative colonoscopies vary by provider, study finds

Cystic fibrosis: triple therapy shows promising results

TB vaccine is hailed as ground breaking, though confirmatory trials are needed

Taking antihypertensives at bedtime nearly halves cardiovascular deaths when compared with morning dosing, study finds

Former footballers are more likely to die from neurodegenerative disease, study finds

Most fatal opioid overdoses are not caused by prescription drugs, US study finds

GPs talked to fewer patients about alcohol after incentive scheme ended, study finds

Childbirth: one in three women in low and middle income countries reports being mistreated

Air pollution is linked to infant deaths and reduced lung function in children

Research evaluating AI for diagnosing disease is weak, finds review

Children with cancer are missing out on precision medicine, study finds

Having a named GP doesn’t improve older patients’ continuity of care, finds study

Malaria could be eradicated by 2050, say global experts

Vegetarian and pescatarian diets are linked to lower risk of ischaemic heart disease, study finds

Cancer overtakes CVD to become leading cause of death in high income countries

Breast cancer risk associated with HRT increases with longer use, finds study

Stress urinary incontinence: study finds fourfold variation in use of surgery across England

Polypill cuts major cardiovascular events by a third, study finds

Social media can harm when use displaces sleep or exercise or involves bullying, finds study

Women in India face “extensive gender discrimination” in healthcare access

SSRIs in children: NICE guidelines may have increased their use

Hepatitis C: voluntary drug licences improve treatment uptake in lower income countries

Banning tobacco sales to under 21s reduces smoking, study finds

Superbug spreads in European hospitals as resistance to last resort antibiotics grows

Most deaths related to non-cardiac surgery occur outside operating room, finds study

Non-prescription antibiotic use is “public health problem” in US, finds study

Malaria drugs left ineffective by spread of multidrug resistant parasites in southeast Asia

Added screen time linked to more depression in adolescents, study finds

“Hostile and demeaning” universal credit system worsens physical and mental health, study finds

Risk of stillbirth increases after 41 weeks, study finds

US suicide rates in young people are highest since 2000

Being obese before conception triples odds of obese or overweight offspring, review finds

White coat hypertension linked to double the risk of death from heart disease, study finds

Major rise in non-suicidal self harm in England, study shows

Living in a war zone increases heart disease and stroke risk years after conflict ends, study finds

Rheumatoid arthritis: glucocorticoids are associated with nearly double infection risk post-surgery

An estimated one in seven babies is born with a low birthweight

Antibiotics after assisted childbirth could almost halve maternal infections

Obesity rates are increasing more rapidly in rural areas than in cities

Alcohol use: global target to reduce harm is likely to be missed as intake rises

Social media: concerns over effects on teenagers are overblown and lack evidence

Trial identifies new drug combination for treatment resistant gonorrhoea

Expanding US Medicaid improves birth outcomes in black babies

Peanut immunotherapy increases allergic and anaphylactic reactions, finds review

NHS reorganisation in 2013 led to fall in cervical screening uptake, study finds

Half of patients prescribed statins fail to hit target reduction in LDL cholesterol

Guided self led or group therapy as effective as individual CBT for acute depression, finds review

Asthma: traffic pollution is blamed for one in eight new cases in children

Caesarean section is highly risky for mothers and babies in low and middle income countries

Daily and high potency cannabis are linked to higher rates of psychosis, study finds

Renal denervation achieves sustained blood pressure reduction, finds trial

Behavioural therapy is often more effective than drugs for urinary incontinence in women, finds review

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation no better than drug therapy for reducing death or disabling stroke, trial finds

Higher intake of cholesterol or eggs linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, finds study

Bipolar disorder: most patients receive suboptimal treatment, finds Scottish study

Prenatal vitamins in early pregnancy may lower risk of autism in high risk families

Childhood trauma doubles risk of mental health conditions

US patients live longer in areas with more primary care doctors, study finds

GPs should consider offering statins to all patients aged over 75, researchers say

Vertebral augmentation in osteoporosis: common procedures for spinal fractures show no benefit

E-cigarettes help twice as many smokers quit as nicotine replacement therapy, trial finds

Persistent sore throat may be a warning sign for laryngeal cancer, study suggests

Intensive BP control reduces mild cognitive impairment but not dementia, study finds

Shoulder pain: physiotherapy patients who believe in their ability to move show better recovery

Eating more fibre linked to reduced risk of non-communicable diseases and death, review finds

Mesh implants: women who need corrective surgery have higher risk of depression and self harm, finds study

Depressive symptoms linked to social media use are higher among girls

Radical prostatectomy extends life expectancy in localised prostate cancer, trial finds

Annual flu vaccination reduces risk of death in patients with heart failure, study finds

Statins are overprescribed for primary prevention, study suggests

Showing people scans of silent atherosclerosis helps them to reduce their cardiovascular risk

Dementia: brief cognitive assessments often misclassify condition

Patients in Wales wait longest out of 10 regions to begin bowel cancer treatment

Obesity is linked to increased asthma risk in children, finds study

Probiotics for gastroenteritis in young children do not improve symptoms, studies find

Person centred care that includes antipsychotic review reduces agitation in dementia patients, finds study

Referring patients with suspected oral cancer to dentists may delay diagnosis, say GPs

Pollution: London’s low emission zone has improved air quality but not children’s lungs, study finds

Researcher questions new study suggesting benefits of breast screening

Vitamin D does not reduce cancer or cardiovascular events in healthy adults, trial finds

Under 16s are at highest risk of being stabbed going home from school, UK study finds