Research Roundup: Covid; Eczema; Circadian Rhythm; Chernobyl; More

CIDRAP: Pandemic Linked With Mental Health Changes In Older Americans
Almost 1 in 5 US adults ages 50 to 80 said they were experiencing worse depression or sadness since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 28% reported worse anxiety or worry, according to a University of Michigan poll today. About 46% of adults said they felt isolated, down from 56% in a spring 2020 poll but still up 28% from before the pandemic. (5/4)

CIDRAP: Mortality Rates For Hospitalized COVID Patients Declined Through 2020
In 2020, in-hospital mortality dropped from 19.1% in March and April to 10.8% in September through November in COVID-19 patients in the United States, according to a study yesterday in JAMA Network Open. While some associations with age, male sex, high body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities were seen, overall, the researchers say that neither these factors nor COVID-19 severity fully explained the decline. (5/4)

CIDRAP: COVID-Related Inflammatory Syndrome Hits Poorer, Minority Kids Harder
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which has been linked with pediatric COVID-19, may pose higher risks to children in lower socioeconomic statuses or who are minorities, according to a Pediatrics study today. The study compared MIS-C patients with those who had COVID-19, those who were evaluated for MIS-C but found without, children with febrile illness, children with Kawasaki disease, and healthy children in the state. Everyone included in the cohort was under 21 years and in Massachusetts. (4/28)

ScienceDaily: HEPA Filter Effectively Reduces Airborne Respiratory Particles Generated During Vigorous Exercise, Researchers Find
A pair of studies shed light on something that is typically difficult to see with the eye: respiratory aerosols. Such aerosol particles of varying sizes are a common component of breath, and they are a typical mode of transmission for respiratory viruses like COVID-19 to spread to other people and surfaces. (5/4)

Also —

ScienceDaily: Testing Tool Can Quickly Distinguish Between Viral And Bacterial Infections
In a study proving feasibility, researchers showed that their testing technology can accurately distinguish between a viral and a bacterial infection for respiratory illness - a critical difference that determines whether antibiotics are warranted. And, importantly, the test provided results in under an hour. (5/4)

CIDRAP: Study Suggests Link Between Prenatal, Early Antibiotics And Eczema
A large cohort study conducted in Sweden suggests antibiotic use in prenatal and early postnatal life may be linked to increased risk of eczema (atopic dermatitis) in children, researchers reported today in JAMA Network Open. ... The hypothesis is that disturbances to the gut microbiome that may result from exposure to antibiotics utero and in early life could be among the environmental factors linked to the condition, but previous studies have produced inconsistent results. (4/29)

New England Journal of Medicine: Therapy For Anemia In Chronic Kidney Disease — New Interventions And New Questions
Anemia, including its causes and treatments, in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been a focus of research for 40 years. Huge strides were made when erythropoietin was discovered and injectable erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) were developed, followed by the conduct of randomized, controlled clinical trials that changed clinical practice. Multiple trials in which various ESAs have been compared with placebo or with each other have tested hypotheses about the value of targeting higher hemoglobin levels in patients with CKD. Such investigations showed variable signals for benefit (e.g., a reduced need for transfusions or improved quality of life) but also signals for harm (e.g., increased thrombosis of arteriovenous fistulas, stroke, and cancer-associated mortality). (Adeera Levin, M.D., 4/29)

ScienceDaily: Circadian Rhythm Research Could Turn Early Birds Into Night Owls  
Researchers have identified a set of genes, called clock genes, that control circadian rhythms. But a more complicated gene network than previously known appears related to these rhythms. Scientists detail a statistical model they are using to help identify the genes involved in this network. With help from other disciplines, they hope to fully understand how these genes work together to make different people more productive at different times of day. (5/4)

ScienceDaily: Genetic Effects Of Chernobyl Radiation 
In two landmark studies, researchers have used cutting-edge genomic tools to investigate the potential health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen, from the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine. One study found no evidence that radiation exposure to parents resulted in new genetic changes being passed from parent to child. The second study documented the genetic changes in the tumors of people who developed thyroid cancer after being exposed as children or fetuses to the radiation released by the accident. (4/22)