Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Second Person Living With Pig Kidney Is Off Dialysis And Out Of Hospital
AP: New Hampshire Man Is 2nd Person Known To Be Living With A Pig Kidney
A New Hampshire man fought for the chance at a pig kidney transplant, spending months getting into good enough shape to be part of a small pilot study of a highly experimental treatment. His effort paid off: Tim Andrews, 66, is only the second person known to be living with a pig kidney. Andrews is free from dialysis, Massachusetts General Hospital announced Friday, and recovering so well from the Jan. 25 transplant that he left the hospital a week later. (Neergaard, 2/7)
More science and research news —
The Washington Post: Studies Suggest Link Between Sleep Aides And Dementia
Nan Bishko Iwasaki, 81, a retired commercial artist who lives in Redondo Beach, California, has been taking a variety of sleeping pills for 22 years. She worries about their side effects, especially the possibility they might raise her risk of dementia, but “I can’t sleep when I try to stop taking them,” she says. Her concern may be warranted, experts say. A number of studies suggest an association between the risk of dementia and sleep aids, both prescription and over-the-counter, although existing research has not proved a specific cause-and-effect, according to experts. (Cimons, 2/9)
The Washington Post: Study Links ‘Slow-Wave Sleep’ And Executive Functioning Skills
Parents and doctors often think about children’s sleep all wrong, says psychologist Jessica Lunsford-Avery. Instead of focusing on quantity of hours, they should pay more attention to quality of rest. ... Lunsford-Avery’s most recent study links slow-wave differences in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to daytime “executive functioning,” which includes problem-solving, planning ahead and controlling impulsivity. But her work has ramifications for others battling insomnia, including people struggling with anxiety and depression. (Ellison, 2/7)
MedPage Today: Alteplase Also Shows Its Mettle For Late Strokes In HOPE Trial
The HOPE trial made another case for extending the therapeutic window for IV thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke, potentially widening the pool of people eligible for therapy. (Lou, 2/8)
MedPage Today: FDA OKs New Antibiotic Combo For Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections
The FDA has approved aztreonam and avibactam (Emblaveo) in combination with metronidazole for adults who have limited or no alternative options for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections, AbbVie announced Friday. ... According to the company, the product is the first and only fixed-dose, intravenous, monobactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotic to receive FDA approval. (Bassett, 2/7)
The Hill: Juice Cleanse May Harm Your Health, Study Finds
Many people undergo a juice cleanse in an effort to detoxify the body and improve health, but new research suggests they do more harm than good. Researchers from Northwestern and San Raffaele universities found a diet of only vegetable and fruit juice, even for just three days, can lead to shifts in gut and oral bacteria linked to inflammation and cognitive decline. The study, published in the “Nutrients” journal, looked at three groups of healthy adults following different diets. (Delandro, 2/7)
