Severe, refractory, and fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) responded well in the everyday clinical setting to the monoclonal antibody dupilumab (Dupixent). Most patients achieved histologic, endoscopic, and symptom improvement with a median of 6 months’ treatment with the interleukin 4 and 13 blocker, and esophageal stricture diameter improved as well, according to a single-center retrospective study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

“Dupilumab has real-world efficacy for a severe EoE population, most of whom would not have qualified for prior clinical trials,” concluded gastroenterologists Christopher J. Lee, MD (lead author), and Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, AGAF, of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing, at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

These real-world findings aligned with data from the group’s phase 3 clinical trial.

In addition, several case reports or series have highlighted the real-world efficacy of dupilumab, with a particular focus on pediatric patients and those with other atopic diseases.

“Despite nonresponse to prior treatments, these patients can likely expect to see results similar to what was seen in the clinical trial,” Dr. Dellon said in an interview. “However, it would be good to have similar confirmatory data from other centers, and I’m sure those data will be forthcoming as more EoE patients are treated with dupilumab.”

The study

The investigators identified 46 patients treated with dupilumab for refractory fibrostenotic EoE at the university’s medical center. All had failed or lost response to one or more standard therapies such as proton pump inhibitors, topical glucocorticosteroids, and a food elimination diet.

Previous treatments also included systemic steroids, cromolyn, ketotifen, montelukast, and 6-mercaptopurine, all with minimal response. Some 85% of patients had undergone an average of 9.0+ 7.0 pre-dupilumab dilations.

The biologic was initially prescribed off-label before FDA approval. Patients received it at a dose of 300 mg subcutaneously either fortnightly (n = 16) or weekly (n = 30), depending on insurance approval and timing of prescription. Length of treatment varied based on the time from prescription to first post-treatment evaluative endoscopy.

Patients showed endoscopic, histologic, and symptomatic improvement on dupilumab compared with both the worst and the pre-dupilumab esophagogastroduodenoscopies.

Among the specific findings:

• Peak eosinophil counts significantly decreased.
• Post-dupilumab histologic response rates were 80% and 57% for fewer than 15 eosinophils per high-power field, and 6 or fewer eosinophils per high-power field, respectively.
• The Endoscopic Reference Score decreased from 5.01 to 1.89 (P < .001 for all).
• Pre-dilation esophageal diameter increased from 13.9 to 16.0 mm (P < .001), although the proportion of strictures was stable.
• Global symptom improvement was reported in 91% of patients (P < .001).

Commenting on the study but not involved in it, David A. Katzka, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City, said the findings would be of immediate use to practicing gastroenterologists.

“It’s necessary to do clinical trials, but real-world data make the clinician feel more comfortable in prescribing. Interestingly, I am seeing dupilumab being recommended not just for refractory disease but also as first-line therapy,” he said.

Dr. Dellon noted that the incidence and prevalence of EoE are rising rapidly in the US and around the world. “This increase is outpacing growing recognition of the disease,” he said. “Most likely, environmental factors are driving this change.” He called for studies to determine the long-term efficacy of dupilumab for this severe subgroup — and the potential benefit of moving dupilumab earlier into the treatment algorithm.

The latter is a controversial question, noted Dr. Katzka. “For patients with other indications such as asthma or eczema, dupilumab is the ideal medication,” he said. And it can be a first-line therapy if there are contraindications to alternatives or if compliance will be better with a once-weekly injection as opposed to a twice-daily medication or a food elimination diet. But overall, our more established therapies should be considered first.”

Dr. Katzka emphasized the need to further define EoE phenotypes in order to personalize therapy. “There’s likely a group of patients who should go straight to dupilumab, perhaps those marked by factors such as severity, progression, young age, or other atopic disorders. But we have yet to definitively identify this group.” 

The authors reported no specific funding for this analysis. Dr. Dellon reported research funding and/or consulting fees from multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Regeneron/Sanofi, the developers of dupilumab. Dr. Lee had no competing interests to disclose. Dr. Katzka reported consulting for Medtronic, and is an associate editor for GI & Hepatology News.

Severe, refractory, and fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) responded well in the everyday clinical setting to the monoclonal antibody dupilumab (Dupixent). Most patients achieved histologic, endoscopic, and symptom improvement with a median of 6 months’ treatment with the interleukin 4 and 13 blocker, and esophageal stricture diameter improved as well, according to a single-center retrospective study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

“Dupilumab has real-world efficacy for a severe EoE population, most of whom would not have qualified for prior clinical trials,” concluded gastroenterologists Christopher J. Lee, MD (lead author), and Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, AGAF, of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing, at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

These real-world findings aligned with data from the group’s phase 3 clinical trial.

In addition, several case reports or series have highlighted the real-world efficacy of dupilumab, with a particular focus on pediatric patients and those with other atopic diseases.

“Despite nonresponse to prior treatments, these patients can likely expect to see results similar to what was seen in the clinical trial,” Dr. Dellon said in an interview. “However, it would be good to have similar confirmatory data from other centers, and I’m sure those data will be forthcoming as more EoE patients are treated with dupilumab.”

The study

The investigators identified 46 patients treated with dupilumab for refractory fibrostenotic EoE at the university’s medical center. All had failed or lost response to one or more standard therapies such as proton pump inhibitors, topical glucocorticosteroids, and a food elimination diet.

Previous treatments also included systemic steroids, cromolyn, ketotifen, montelukast, and 6-mercaptopurine, all with minimal response. Some 85% of patients had undergone an average of 9.0+ 7.0 pre-dupilumab dilations.

The biologic was initially prescribed off-label before FDA approval. Patients received it at a dose of 300 mg subcutaneously either fortnightly (n = 16) or weekly (n = 30), depending on insurance approval and timing of prescription. Length of treatment varied based on the time from prescription to first post-treatment evaluative endoscopy.

Patients showed endoscopic, histologic, and symptomatic improvement on dupilumab compared with both the worst and the pre-dupilumab esophagogastroduodenoscopies.

Among the specific findings:

• Peak eosinophil counts significantly decreased.
• Post-dupilumab histologic response rates were 80% and 57% for fewer than 15 eosinophils per high-power field, and 6 or fewer eosinophils per high-power field, respectively.
• The Endoscopic Reference Score decreased from 5.01 to 1.89 (P < .001 for all).
• Pre-dilation esophageal diameter increased from 13.9 to 16.0 mm (P < .001), although the proportion of strictures was stable.
• Global symptom improvement was reported in 91% of patients (P < .001).

Commenting on the study but not involved in it, David A. Katzka, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City, said the findings would be of immediate use to practicing gastroenterologists.

“It’s necessary to do clinical trials, but real-world data make the clinician feel more comfortable in prescribing. Interestingly, I am seeing dupilumab being recommended not just for refractory disease but also as first-line therapy,” he said.

Dr. Dellon noted that the incidence and prevalence of EoE are rising rapidly in the US and around the world. “This increase is outpacing growing recognition of the disease,” he said. “Most likely, environmental factors are driving this change.” He called for studies to determine the long-term efficacy of dupilumab for this severe subgroup — and the potential benefit of moving dupilumab earlier into the treatment algorithm.

The latter is a controversial question, noted Dr. Katzka. “For patients with other indications such as asthma or eczema, dupilumab is the ideal medication,” he said. And it can be a first-line therapy if there are contraindications to alternatives or if compliance will be better with a once-weekly injection as opposed to a twice-daily medication or a food elimination diet. But overall, our more established therapies should be considered first.”

Dr. Katzka emphasized the need to further define EoE phenotypes in order to personalize therapy. “There’s likely a group of patients who should go straight to dupilumab, perhaps those marked by factors such as severity, progression, young age, or other atopic disorders. But we have yet to definitively identify this group.” 

The authors reported no specific funding for this analysis. Dr. Dellon reported research funding and/or consulting fees from multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Regeneron/Sanofi, the developers of dupilumab. Dr. Lee had no competing interests to disclose. Dr. Katzka reported consulting for Medtronic, and is an associate editor for GI & Hepatology News.

Severe, refractory, and fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) responded well in the everyday clinical setting to the monoclonal antibody dupilumab (Dupixent). Most patients achieved histologic, endoscopic, and symptom improvement with a median of 6 months’ treatment with the interleukin 4 and 13 blocker, and esophageal stricture diameter improved as well, according to a single-center retrospective study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

“Dupilumab has real-world efficacy for a severe EoE population, most of whom would not have qualified for prior clinical trials,” concluded gastroenterologists Christopher J. Lee, MD (lead author), and Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, AGAF, of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing, at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

These real-world findings aligned with data from the group’s phase 3 clinical trial.

In addition, several case reports or series have highlighted the real-world efficacy of dupilumab, with a particular focus on pediatric patients and those with other atopic diseases.

“Despite nonresponse to prior treatments, these patients can likely expect to see results similar to what was seen in the clinical trial,” Dr. Dellon said in an interview. “However, it would be good to have similar confirmatory data from other centers, and I’m sure those data will be forthcoming as more EoE patients are treated with dupilumab.”

The study

The investigators identified 46 patients treated with dupilumab for refractory fibrostenotic EoE at the university’s medical center. All had failed or lost response to one or more standard therapies such as proton pump inhibitors, topical glucocorticosteroids, and a food elimination diet.

Previous treatments also included systemic steroids, cromolyn, ketotifen, montelukast, and 6-mercaptopurine, all with minimal response. Some 85% of patients had undergone an average of 9.0+ 7.0 pre-dupilumab dilations.

The biologic was initially prescribed off-label before FDA approval. Patients received it at a dose of 300 mg subcutaneously either fortnightly (n = 16) or weekly (n = 30), depending on insurance approval and timing of prescription. Length of treatment varied based on the time from prescription to first post-treatment evaluative endoscopy.

Patients showed endoscopic, histologic, and symptomatic improvement on dupilumab compared with both the worst and the pre-dupilumab esophagogastroduodenoscopies.

Among the specific findings:

• Peak eosinophil counts significantly decreased.
• Post-dupilumab histologic response rates were 80% and 57% for fewer than 15 eosinophils per high-power field, and 6 or fewer eosinophils per high-power field, respectively.
• The Endoscopic Reference Score decreased from 5.01 to 1.89 (P < .001 for all).
• Pre-dilation esophageal diameter increased from 13.9 to 16.0 mm (P < .001), although the proportion of strictures was stable.
• Global symptom improvement was reported in 91% of patients (P < .001).

Commenting on the study but not involved in it, David A. Katzka, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City, said the findings would be of immediate use to practicing gastroenterologists.

“It’s necessary to do clinical trials, but real-world data make the clinician feel more comfortable in prescribing. Interestingly, I am seeing dupilumab being recommended not just for refractory disease but also as first-line therapy,” he said.

Dr. Dellon noted that the incidence and prevalence of EoE are rising rapidly in the US and around the world. “This increase is outpacing growing recognition of the disease,” he said. “Most likely, environmental factors are driving this change.” He called for studies to determine the long-term efficacy of dupilumab for this severe subgroup — and the potential benefit of moving dupilumab earlier into the treatment algorithm.

The latter is a controversial question, noted Dr. Katzka. “For patients with other indications such as asthma or eczema, dupilumab is the ideal medication,” he said. And it can be a first-line therapy if there are contraindications to alternatives or if compliance will be better with a once-weekly injection as opposed to a twice-daily medication or a food elimination diet. But overall, our more established therapies should be considered first.”

Dr. Katzka emphasized the need to further define EoE phenotypes in order to personalize therapy. “There’s likely a group of patients who should go straight to dupilumab, perhaps those marked by factors such as severity, progression, young age, or other atopic disorders. But we have yet to definitively identify this group.” 

The authors reported no specific funding for this analysis. Dr. Dellon reported research funding and/or consulting fees from multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Regeneron/Sanofi, the developers of dupilumab. Dr. Lee had no competing interests to disclose. Dr. Katzka reported consulting for Medtronic, and is an associate editor for GI & Hepatology News.

TOPLINE:

Radiation exposure to the pulmonary veins during radiotherapy (RT) for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) raises the risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), according to new findings.

METHODOLOGY:

• Arrhythmia — with AF being the most common type — affects roughly 11% of patients following lung cancer RT.
• Given RT’s recognized impact on cardiac tissues over time, researchers hypothesized that the dosage affecting pulmonary veins might contribute to the observed increased rates of AF after RT.
• To investigate, researchers looked back at 420 patients with NSCLC (52% women, median age 70) undergoing definitive RT (± chemo) with modern planning techniques at 55 Gy in 20 once-daily fractions over 4 weeks.
• Most patients underwent treatment planning using volumetric modulated arc therapy (50%) or static gantry intensity-modulated RT (20%). Chemotherapy was administered in a minority of cases (33%).
• Pulmonary veins were contoured on planning CT scans, and dose metrics were calculated. The association between pulmonary veins dose and incidence of new AF was evaluated, with AF verified by a cardiologist.

TAKEAWAY:

• Out of the entire cohort, 26 patients (6%) developed AF a median of 13 months after treatment. All cases of AF were grade 3 except for two grade 4 events.
• Radiation dose to the left and right pulmonary veins was significantly associated with incident AF. Dose volumes most strongly associated with AF were ≥ 55 Gy (V55) on the left and ≥ 10 Gy (V10) on the right.
• The risk for AF increased by 2% per percentage point increase in the left pulmonary veins V55 and 1% in the right pulmonary veins V10. The associations were statistically significant after accounting for cardiovascular factors and risk for death risk.
• The area under the curve for prediction of AF events was 0.64 (P = .02) for the left pulmonary veins V55 and 0.61 (P = .03) for the right pulmonary veins V10. The optimal thresholds for predicting AF were 2% and 54%, respectively.

IN PRACTICE:

“The implications of these data are that actively sparing these structures could reduce the incidence of [AF], and where this is not possible, patients identified as being at high risk of AF could undergo active screening during follow-up,” the researchers said, adding that further validation of these findings should take place before implementation.

SOURCE:

The study, with first author Gerard M. Walls, MB, MRCP, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, was published online on January 4 in Radiotherapy and Oncology .

LIMITATIONS:

This was a single-center, retrospective study with a small number of AF events. The study may have underestimated the relationship between pulmonary vein irradiation and new AF events. The findings needed validation in larger datasets.

DISCLOSURES:

The study had no commercial funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Radiation exposure to the pulmonary veins during radiotherapy (RT) for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) raises the risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), according to new findings.

METHODOLOGY:

• Arrhythmia — with AF being the most common type — affects roughly 11% of patients following lung cancer RT.
• Given RT’s recognized impact on cardiac tissues over time, researchers hypothesized that the dosage affecting pulmonary veins might contribute to the observed increased rates of AF after RT.
• To investigate, researchers looked back at 420 patients with NSCLC (52% women, median age 70) undergoing definitive RT (± chemo) with modern planning techniques at 55 Gy in 20 once-daily fractions over 4 weeks.
• Most patients underwent treatment planning using volumetric modulated arc therapy (50%) or static gantry intensity-modulated RT (20%). Chemotherapy was administered in a minority of cases (33%).
• Pulmonary veins were contoured on planning CT scans, and dose metrics were calculated. The association between pulmonary veins dose and incidence of new AF was evaluated, with AF verified by a cardiologist.

TAKEAWAY:

• Out of the entire cohort, 26 patients (6%) developed AF a median of 13 months after treatment. All cases of AF were grade 3 except for two grade 4 events.
• Radiation dose to the left and right pulmonary veins was significantly associated with incident AF. Dose volumes most strongly associated with AF were ≥ 55 Gy (V55) on the left and ≥ 10 Gy (V10) on the right.
• The risk for AF increased by 2% per percentage point increase in the left pulmonary veins V55 and 1% in the right pulmonary veins V10. The associations were statistically significant after accounting for cardiovascular factors and risk for death risk.
• The area under the curve for prediction of AF events was 0.64 (P = .02) for the left pulmonary veins V55 and 0.61 (P = .03) for the right pulmonary veins V10. The optimal thresholds for predicting AF were 2% and 54%, respectively.

IN PRACTICE:

“The implications of these data are that actively sparing these structures could reduce the incidence of [AF], and where this is not possible, patients identified as being at high risk of AF could undergo active screening during follow-up,” the researchers said, adding that further validation of these findings should take place before implementation.

SOURCE:

The study, with first author Gerard M. Walls, MB, MRCP, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, was published online on January 4 in Radiotherapy and Oncology .

LIMITATIONS:

This was a single-center, retrospective study with a small number of AF events. The study may have underestimated the relationship between pulmonary vein irradiation and new AF events. The findings needed validation in larger datasets.

DISCLOSURES:

The study had no commercial funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Radiation exposure to the pulmonary veins during radiotherapy (RT) for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) raises the risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), according to new findings.

METHODOLOGY:

• Arrhythmia — with AF being the most common type — affects roughly 11% of patients following lung cancer RT.
• Given RT’s recognized impact on cardiac tissues over time, researchers hypothesized that the dosage affecting pulmonary veins might contribute to the observed increased rates of AF after RT.
• To investigate, researchers looked back at 420 patients with NSCLC (52% women, median age 70) undergoing definitive RT (± chemo) with modern planning techniques at 55 Gy in 20 once-daily fractions over 4 weeks.
• Most patients underwent treatment planning using volumetric modulated arc therapy (50%) or static gantry intensity-modulated RT (20%). Chemotherapy was administered in a minority of cases (33%).
• Pulmonary veins were contoured on planning CT scans, and dose metrics were calculated. The association between pulmonary veins dose and incidence of new AF was evaluated, with AF verified by a cardiologist.

TAKEAWAY:

• Out of the entire cohort, 26 patients (6%) developed AF a median of 13 months after treatment. All cases of AF were grade 3 except for two grade 4 events.
• Radiation dose to the left and right pulmonary veins was significantly associated with incident AF. Dose volumes most strongly associated with AF were ≥ 55 Gy (V55) on the left and ≥ 10 Gy (V10) on the right.
• The risk for AF increased by 2% per percentage point increase in the left pulmonary veins V55 and 1% in the right pulmonary veins V10. The associations were statistically significant after accounting for cardiovascular factors and risk for death risk.
• The area under the curve for prediction of AF events was 0.64 (P = .02) for the left pulmonary veins V55 and 0.61 (P = .03) for the right pulmonary veins V10. The optimal thresholds for predicting AF were 2% and 54%, respectively.

IN PRACTICE:

“The implications of these data are that actively sparing these structures could reduce the incidence of [AF], and where this is not possible, patients identified as being at high risk of AF could undergo active screening during follow-up,” the researchers said, adding that further validation of these findings should take place before implementation.

SOURCE:

The study, with first author Gerard M. Walls, MB, MRCP, Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, was published online on January 4 in Radiotherapy and Oncology .

LIMITATIONS:

This was a single-center, retrospective study with a small number of AF events. The study may have underestimated the relationship between pulmonary vein irradiation and new AF events. The findings needed validation in larger datasets.

DISCLOSURES:

The study had no commercial funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Food emulsifiers are among the most widespread food additives. A large cohort study highlighted an association between the consumption of certain emulsifiers and an increased risk for certain cancers, particularly breast and prostate cancer.

Ultraprocessed foods constitute a significant part of our diet, representing approximately 30% of energy intake in France.

Large epidemiologic studies have already linked diets rich in ultraprocessed products to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and mortality. Possible explanations for this association include the presence of additives, particularly emulsifiers. These additives are intended to improve the texture and shelf life of foods.

Recent experimental studies have shown that emulsifiers alter the gut microbiota and may lead to low-grade inflammation. Dysbiosis and chronic inflammation not only increase the risk for inflammatory bowel diseases but are also implicated in the etiology of several other chronic pathologies and certain extraintestinal cancers.

The NutriNet-Santé study provided extensive information on the dietary habits of > 100,000 French participants. A new analysis was conducted, examining the possible link between the presence of emulsifiers in the diet and cancer occurrence. Data from 92,000 participants (78.8% women) were utilized. They covered an average follow-up of 6.7 years, during which 2604 cancer cases were diagnosed, including 750 breast cancers, 322 prostate cancers, and 207 colorectal cancers.

In this cohort, the risk for cancer increased with a higher presence in the diet of products containing certain emulsifiers widely used in industrial food in Europe: Carrageenans (E407), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), pectins (E440), and sodium carbonate (E500).

Notably, the highest consumption of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) was associated with a 15% increase in the risk for all types of cancer, a 24% increase in breast cancer risk, and a 46% increase in prostate cancer risk. The highest consumption of carrageenans (E407) was associated with a 28% increase in breast cancer risk.

In an analysis by menopausal status, the risk for breast cancer before menopause was associated with high consumption of diphosphates (E450; 45% increase), pectins (E440; 55% increase), and sodium bicarbonate (E500; 48% increase). No link was found between emulsifier consumption and colorectal cancer risk. While some associations were observed for other emulsifiers, they did not persist in sensitivity analyses.

The European Food Safety Agency recently evaluated the risks of emulsifiers, however, and found no safety issues or need to limit daily consumption of several of them, notably E471.

It is certain that cancer is multifactorial, and a single factor (here, exposure to emulsifiers) will not significantly increase the risk. However, while not essential to human health, emulsifiers are widely prevalent in the global market. Therefore, if causality is established, the increased risk could translate into a significant number of preventable cancers at the population level. Confirmation of this causal link will need to be obtained through experimental and epidemiological studies.

This story was translated from JIM, which is part of the Medscape professional network, using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Food emulsifiers are among the most widespread food additives. A large cohort study highlighted an association between the consumption of certain emulsifiers and an increased risk for certain cancers, particularly breast and prostate cancer.

Ultraprocessed foods constitute a significant part of our diet, representing approximately 30% of energy intake in France.

Large epidemiologic studies have already linked diets rich in ultraprocessed products to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and mortality. Possible explanations for this association include the presence of additives, particularly emulsifiers. These additives are intended to improve the texture and shelf life of foods.

Recent experimental studies have shown that emulsifiers alter the gut microbiota and may lead to low-grade inflammation. Dysbiosis and chronic inflammation not only increase the risk for inflammatory bowel diseases but are also implicated in the etiology of several other chronic pathologies and certain extraintestinal cancers.

The NutriNet-Santé study provided extensive information on the dietary habits of > 100,000 French participants. A new analysis was conducted, examining the possible link between the presence of emulsifiers in the diet and cancer occurrence. Data from 92,000 participants (78.8% women) were utilized. They covered an average follow-up of 6.7 years, during which 2604 cancer cases were diagnosed, including 750 breast cancers, 322 prostate cancers, and 207 colorectal cancers.

In this cohort, the risk for cancer increased with a higher presence in the diet of products containing certain emulsifiers widely used in industrial food in Europe: Carrageenans (E407), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), pectins (E440), and sodium carbonate (E500).

Notably, the highest consumption of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) was associated with a 15% increase in the risk for all types of cancer, a 24% increase in breast cancer risk, and a 46% increase in prostate cancer risk. The highest consumption of carrageenans (E407) was associated with a 28% increase in breast cancer risk.

In an analysis by menopausal status, the risk for breast cancer before menopause was associated with high consumption of diphosphates (E450; 45% increase), pectins (E440; 55% increase), and sodium bicarbonate (E500; 48% increase). No link was found between emulsifier consumption and colorectal cancer risk. While some associations were observed for other emulsifiers, they did not persist in sensitivity analyses.

The European Food Safety Agency recently evaluated the risks of emulsifiers, however, and found no safety issues or need to limit daily consumption of several of them, notably E471.

It is certain that cancer is multifactorial, and a single factor (here, exposure to emulsifiers) will not significantly increase the risk. However, while not essential to human health, emulsifiers are widely prevalent in the global market. Therefore, if causality is established, the increased risk could translate into a significant number of preventable cancers at the population level. Confirmation of this causal link will need to be obtained through experimental and epidemiological studies.

This story was translated from JIM, which is part of the Medscape professional network, using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Food emulsifiers are among the most widespread food additives. A large cohort study highlighted an association between the consumption of certain emulsifiers and an increased risk for certain cancers, particularly breast and prostate cancer.

Ultraprocessed foods constitute a significant part of our diet, representing approximately 30% of energy intake in France.

Large epidemiologic studies have already linked diets rich in ultraprocessed products to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and mortality. Possible explanations for this association include the presence of additives, particularly emulsifiers. These additives are intended to improve the texture and shelf life of foods.

Recent experimental studies have shown that emulsifiers alter the gut microbiota and may lead to low-grade inflammation. Dysbiosis and chronic inflammation not only increase the risk for inflammatory bowel diseases but are also implicated in the etiology of several other chronic pathologies and certain extraintestinal cancers.

The NutriNet-Santé study provided extensive information on the dietary habits of > 100,000 French participants. A new analysis was conducted, examining the possible link between the presence of emulsifiers in the diet and cancer occurrence. Data from 92,000 participants (78.8% women) were utilized. They covered an average follow-up of 6.7 years, during which 2604 cancer cases were diagnosed, including 750 breast cancers, 322 prostate cancers, and 207 colorectal cancers.

In this cohort, the risk for cancer increased with a higher presence in the diet of products containing certain emulsifiers widely used in industrial food in Europe: Carrageenans (E407), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), pectins (E440), and sodium carbonate (E500).

Notably, the highest consumption of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) was associated with a 15% increase in the risk for all types of cancer, a 24% increase in breast cancer risk, and a 46% increase in prostate cancer risk. The highest consumption of carrageenans (E407) was associated with a 28% increase in breast cancer risk.

In an analysis by menopausal status, the risk for breast cancer before menopause was associated with high consumption of diphosphates (E450; 45% increase), pectins (E440; 55% increase), and sodium bicarbonate (E500; 48% increase). No link was found between emulsifier consumption and colorectal cancer risk. While some associations were observed for other emulsifiers, they did not persist in sensitivity analyses.

The European Food Safety Agency recently evaluated the risks of emulsifiers, however, and found no safety issues or need to limit daily consumption of several of them, notably E471.

It is certain that cancer is multifactorial, and a single factor (here, exposure to emulsifiers) will not significantly increase the risk. However, while not essential to human health, emulsifiers are widely prevalent in the global market. Therefore, if causality is established, the increased risk could translate into a significant number of preventable cancers at the population level. Confirmation of this causal link will need to be obtained through experimental and epidemiological studies.

This story was translated from JIM, which is part of the Medscape professional network, using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

One of my abiding interests, part of my daily routine as a cancer physician, is considering whether we should or should not recommend adjuvant therapy for patients who have just had potentially curative resection of their colorectal cancer.

Our group, the QUASAR Group, made a very significant contribution in terms of trials and knowledge in this field. One of the things that we still need to discuss and think about in our wider community is the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients.

Colorectal cancer is a disease of the elderly, with the median age of presentation around 72. We know that, at presentation, more than 50% of patients are aged 65 or over and one third of patients are 75 or over. It’s a disease predominantly of the elderly. Are we justified in giving combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin to high-risk resected colorectal cancer patients?

There’s a very nice report of a meta-analysis by Dottorini and colleagues that came out recently in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It’s an excellent group. They did their meta-analytical work according to a strict, rational protocol. Their statistical analyses were on point, and they collected data from all the relevant trials.

According to the results of their study, it could be concluded that the addition of oxaliplatin to adjuvant therapy for resected high-risk colorectal cancer in older patients — patients older than 70 — doesn’t result in any statistically significant gain in terms of preventing recurrences or saving lives.

When we did our QUASAR trials, initially we were looking at control vs fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. Although there was an overall impact on survival of the whole trial group (the 5000 patients in our study), when we looked by decile, there was a significant diminution of benefit even to fluoropyrimidine therapy in our trial in patients aged 70 or above. I think this careful meta-analysis must make us question the use of oxaliplatin in elderly patients.

What could the explanation be? Why could the well-known and described benefits of oxaliplatin, particularly for stage III disease, attenuate in older people? It may be to do with reduction in dose intensity. Older people have more side effects; therefore, the chemotherapy isn’t completed as planned. Although, increasingly these days, we tend only to be giving 3 months of treatment.

Is there something biologically in terms of the biology or the somatic mutational landscape of the tumor in older people? I don’t think so. Certainly, in terms of their capacity, in terms of stem cell reserve to be as resistant to the side effects of chemotherapy as younger people, we know that does attenuate with age.

Food for thought: The majority of patients I see in the clinic for the adjuvant treatment are elderly. The majority are coming these days with high-risk stage II or stage III disease. There is a real question mark about whether we should be using oxaliplatin at all.

Clearly, one would say that we need more trials of chemotherapy in older folk to see if the addition of drugs like oxaliplatin to a fluoropyrimidine backbone really does make a difference. I’ve said many times before that we, the medical community recommending adjuvant treatment, need to have better risk stratifiers. We need to have better prognostic markers. We need to have better indices that would allow us to perhaps consider these combination treatments in a more focused group of patients who may have a higher risk for recurrence.

Have a look at the paper and see what you think. I think it’s well done. It’s certainly given me pause for thought about the treatment that we will offer our elderly patients.

Have a think about it. Let me know if there are any comments that you’d like to make. For the time being, over and out.

Dr. Kerr is Professor, Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Oxford; Professor of Cancer Medicine, Oxford Cancer Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom. He disclosed ties with Celleron Therapeutics, Oxford Cancer Biomarkers, Afrox, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Genomic Health, Merck Serono, and Roche.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

One of my abiding interests, part of my daily routine as a cancer physician, is considering whether we should or should not recommend adjuvant therapy for patients who have just had potentially curative resection of their colorectal cancer.

Our group, the QUASAR Group, made a very significant contribution in terms of trials and knowledge in this field. One of the things that we still need to discuss and think about in our wider community is the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients.

Colorectal cancer is a disease of the elderly, with the median age of presentation around 72. We know that, at presentation, more than 50% of patients are aged 65 or over and one third of patients are 75 or over. It’s a disease predominantly of the elderly. Are we justified in giving combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin to high-risk resected colorectal cancer patients?

There’s a very nice report of a meta-analysis by Dottorini and colleagues that came out recently in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It’s an excellent group. They did their meta-analytical work according to a strict, rational protocol. Their statistical analyses were on point, and they collected data from all the relevant trials.

According to the results of their study, it could be concluded that the addition of oxaliplatin to adjuvant therapy for resected high-risk colorectal cancer in older patients — patients older than 70 — doesn’t result in any statistically significant gain in terms of preventing recurrences or saving lives.

When we did our QUASAR trials, initially we were looking at control vs fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. Although there was an overall impact on survival of the whole trial group (the 5000 patients in our study), when we looked by decile, there was a significant diminution of benefit even to fluoropyrimidine therapy in our trial in patients aged 70 or above. I think this careful meta-analysis must make us question the use of oxaliplatin in elderly patients.

What could the explanation be? Why could the well-known and described benefits of oxaliplatin, particularly for stage III disease, attenuate in older people? It may be to do with reduction in dose intensity. Older people have more side effects; therefore, the chemotherapy isn’t completed as planned. Although, increasingly these days, we tend only to be giving 3 months of treatment.

Is there something biologically in terms of the biology or the somatic mutational landscape of the tumor in older people? I don’t think so. Certainly, in terms of their capacity, in terms of stem cell reserve to be as resistant to the side effects of chemotherapy as younger people, we know that does attenuate with age.

Food for thought: The majority of patients I see in the clinic for the adjuvant treatment are elderly. The majority are coming these days with high-risk stage II or stage III disease. There is a real question mark about whether we should be using oxaliplatin at all.

Clearly, one would say that we need more trials of chemotherapy in older folk to see if the addition of drugs like oxaliplatin to a fluoropyrimidine backbone really does make a difference. I’ve said many times before that we, the medical community recommending adjuvant treatment, need to have better risk stratifiers. We need to have better prognostic markers. We need to have better indices that would allow us to perhaps consider these combination treatments in a more focused group of patients who may have a higher risk for recurrence.

Have a look at the paper and see what you think. I think it’s well done. It’s certainly given me pause for thought about the treatment that we will offer our elderly patients.

Have a think about it. Let me know if there are any comments that you’d like to make. For the time being, over and out.

Dr. Kerr is Professor, Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Oxford; Professor of Cancer Medicine, Oxford Cancer Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom. He disclosed ties with Celleron Therapeutics, Oxford Cancer Biomarkers, Afrox, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Genomic Health, Merck Serono, and Roche.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

One of my abiding interests, part of my daily routine as a cancer physician, is considering whether we should or should not recommend adjuvant therapy for patients who have just had potentially curative resection of their colorectal cancer.

Our group, the QUASAR Group, made a very significant contribution in terms of trials and knowledge in this field. One of the things that we still need to discuss and think about in our wider community is the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients.

Colorectal cancer is a disease of the elderly, with the median age of presentation around 72. We know that, at presentation, more than 50% of patients are aged 65 or over and one third of patients are 75 or over. It’s a disease predominantly of the elderly. Are we justified in giving combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin to high-risk resected colorectal cancer patients?

There’s a very nice report of a meta-analysis by Dottorini and colleagues that came out recently in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It’s an excellent group. They did their meta-analytical work according to a strict, rational protocol. Their statistical analyses were on point, and they collected data from all the relevant trials.

According to the results of their study, it could be concluded that the addition of oxaliplatin to adjuvant therapy for resected high-risk colorectal cancer in older patients — patients older than 70 — doesn’t result in any statistically significant gain in terms of preventing recurrences or saving lives.

When we did our QUASAR trials, initially we were looking at control vs fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. Although there was an overall impact on survival of the whole trial group (the 5000 patients in our study), when we looked by decile, there was a significant diminution of benefit even to fluoropyrimidine therapy in our trial in patients aged 70 or above. I think this careful meta-analysis must make us question the use of oxaliplatin in elderly patients.

What could the explanation be? Why could the well-known and described benefits of oxaliplatin, particularly for stage III disease, attenuate in older people? It may be to do with reduction in dose intensity. Older people have more side effects; therefore, the chemotherapy isn’t completed as planned. Although, increasingly these days, we tend only to be giving 3 months of treatment.

Is there something biologically in terms of the biology or the somatic mutational landscape of the tumor in older people? I don’t think so. Certainly, in terms of their capacity, in terms of stem cell reserve to be as resistant to the side effects of chemotherapy as younger people, we know that does attenuate with age.

Food for thought: The majority of patients I see in the clinic for the adjuvant treatment are elderly. The majority are coming these days with high-risk stage II or stage III disease. There is a real question mark about whether we should be using oxaliplatin at all.

Clearly, one would say that we need more trials of chemotherapy in older folk to see if the addition of drugs like oxaliplatin to a fluoropyrimidine backbone really does make a difference. I’ve said many times before that we, the medical community recommending adjuvant treatment, need to have better risk stratifiers. We need to have better prognostic markers. We need to have better indices that would allow us to perhaps consider these combination treatments in a more focused group of patients who may have a higher risk for recurrence.

Have a look at the paper and see what you think. I think it’s well done. It’s certainly given me pause for thought about the treatment that we will offer our elderly patients.

Have a think about it. Let me know if there are any comments that you’d like to make. For the time being, over and out.

Dr. Kerr is Professor, Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Oxford; Professor of Cancer Medicine, Oxford Cancer Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom. He disclosed ties with Celleron Therapeutics, Oxford Cancer Biomarkers, Afrox, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Genomic Health, Merck Serono, and Roche.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

I’m delighted to talk about a very interesting topic in this commentary. This is an area that we generally don’t discuss, but it’s one that’s obviously very topical, which includes the question of social media.

The paper I’m referring to is entitled, “More Than a Song and Dance”: Exploration of Patient Perspectives and Educational Quality of Gynecologic Cancer Content on TikTok. The paper was published in Gynecologic Oncology in 2023.

The investigators, very interestingly, looked at the most common hashtags for the five most common gynecologic cancers on TikTok. They had a total of 466.7 million views. They looked at 430 of the 500 top posts that were eligible, looked at 11 central themes, did an objective analysis of educational content based on published strategy for looking at this.

What they found, unfortunately but not surprisingly, overall was that the educational quality and reliability were quite poor. They also noticed considerable differences in disparities based on racial background and really emphasized in their analysis not only how common it is for individuals to look at this content on TikTok but also concerns about what it is that the public, patients, and their families are actually seeing.

This, of course, specifically relates to gynecologic cancers, but almost certainly relates to other cancers as well. Clearly, this is a topic that needs to be discussed widely. It’s very complex and very controversial, but when you think about the information that might be provided to our patients and their families going to social media, it’s important that we understand what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing, what they’re viewing, and the impact this might have on their care and outcomes.

I encourage you to read this very interesting paper if you have an interest in this topic. Again, it was recently published in Gynecologic Oncology. I thank you for your attention.

Dr. Markman is professor, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, California; president of Medicine & Science, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago, and Phoenix. He disclosed ties with GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

I’m delighted to talk about a very interesting topic in this commentary. This is an area that we generally don’t discuss, but it’s one that’s obviously very topical, which includes the question of social media.

The paper I’m referring to is entitled, “More Than a Song and Dance”: Exploration of Patient Perspectives and Educational Quality of Gynecologic Cancer Content on TikTok. The paper was published in Gynecologic Oncology in 2023.

The investigators, very interestingly, looked at the most common hashtags for the five most common gynecologic cancers on TikTok. They had a total of 466.7 million views. They looked at 430 of the 500 top posts that were eligible, looked at 11 central themes, did an objective analysis of educational content based on published strategy for looking at this.

What they found, unfortunately but not surprisingly, overall was that the educational quality and reliability were quite poor. They also noticed considerable differences in disparities based on racial background and really emphasized in their analysis not only how common it is for individuals to look at this content on TikTok but also concerns about what it is that the public, patients, and their families are actually seeing.

This, of course, specifically relates to gynecologic cancers, but almost certainly relates to other cancers as well. Clearly, this is a topic that needs to be discussed widely. It’s very complex and very controversial, but when you think about the information that might be provided to our patients and their families going to social media, it’s important that we understand what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing, what they’re viewing, and the impact this might have on their care and outcomes.

I encourage you to read this very interesting paper if you have an interest in this topic. Again, it was recently published in Gynecologic Oncology. I thank you for your attention.

Dr. Markman is professor, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, California; president of Medicine & Science, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago, and Phoenix. He disclosed ties with GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

I’m delighted to talk about a very interesting topic in this commentary. This is an area that we generally don’t discuss, but it’s one that’s obviously very topical, which includes the question of social media.

The paper I’m referring to is entitled, “More Than a Song and Dance”: Exploration of Patient Perspectives and Educational Quality of Gynecologic Cancer Content on TikTok. The paper was published in Gynecologic Oncology in 2023.

The investigators, very interestingly, looked at the most common hashtags for the five most common gynecologic cancers on TikTok. They had a total of 466.7 million views. They looked at 430 of the 500 top posts that were eligible, looked at 11 central themes, did an objective analysis of educational content based on published strategy for looking at this.

What they found, unfortunately but not surprisingly, overall was that the educational quality and reliability were quite poor. They also noticed considerable differences in disparities based on racial background and really emphasized in their analysis not only how common it is for individuals to look at this content on TikTok but also concerns about what it is that the public, patients, and their families are actually seeing.

This, of course, specifically relates to gynecologic cancers, but almost certainly relates to other cancers as well. Clearly, this is a topic that needs to be discussed widely. It’s very complex and very controversial, but when you think about the information that might be provided to our patients and their families going to social media, it’s important that we understand what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing, what they’re viewing, and the impact this might have on their care and outcomes.

I encourage you to read this very interesting paper if you have an interest in this topic. Again, it was recently published in Gynecologic Oncology. I thank you for your attention.

Dr. Markman is professor, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, California; president of Medicine & Science, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago, and Phoenix. He disclosed ties with GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

People vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly less likely to have long COVID during the first few years of the pandemic, a new study from Michigan shows.

The findings were published in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. Researchers analyzed data for 4695 adults in Michigan, looking for people reporting COVID symptoms for more than 30 or more than 90 days after infection. They then looked at whether people had completed a full, initial vaccination series or not. Vaccinated people were 58% less likely than unvaccinated people to have symptoms lasting at least 30 days, and they were 43% less likely to have symptoms for 90 days or more.

The researchers did their study because previous estimates of how much vaccination protects against long COVID have varied widely due to different ways of doing the research, such as mixed definitions of long COVID or including a limited set of people in the unvaccinated comparison group. The researchers wrote that their study offers more certainty because the people who took part in it more widely represent the general population. All of the people in the study had lab test-confirmed infections of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) between March 2020 and May 2022.

Among vaccinated and unvaccinated people combined, 32% of infected people said they had symptoms for at least 30 days, and nearly 18% said they had symptoms for 90 days or more, according to a summary of the study published by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. The researchers compared vaccinated and unvaccinated people multiple ways and consistently showed at least a 40% difference in long COVID.

In 2022, 6.9% of US adults self-reported that they had had long COVID, which researchers defined as symptoms for at least 3 months after testing positive or being diagnosed by a doctor, according to a report last week from the CDC. That report also showed that the states with the highest rates of long COVID in 2022 were Alabama, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming. West Virginia had the highest rate of self-reported long COVID, at 10.6% of adults.

People with long COVID may have one or more of about 20 symptoms, including tiredness, fever, and problems that get worse after physical or mental effort. Other long-term signs are respiratory and heart symptoms, thinking problems, digestive issues, joint or muscle pain, rashes, or changes in menstrual cycles. The problems can be so severe that people may qualify for disability status.

About 8 in 10 US adults got the initial round of COVID vaccines, but just 22% of people reported receiving the latest version that became available in the fall of 2023.

The authors of the Michigan study wrote that “COVID-19 vaccination may be an important tool to reduce the burden of long COVID.”

A version of this article appeared on WebMD.com.

People vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly less likely to have long COVID during the first few years of the pandemic, a new study from Michigan shows.

The findings were published in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. Researchers analyzed data for 4695 adults in Michigan, looking for people reporting COVID symptoms for more than 30 or more than 90 days after infection. They then looked at whether people had completed a full, initial vaccination series or not. Vaccinated people were 58% less likely than unvaccinated people to have symptoms lasting at least 30 days, and they were 43% less likely to have symptoms for 90 days or more.

The researchers did their study because previous estimates of how much vaccination protects against long COVID have varied widely due to different ways of doing the research, such as mixed definitions of long COVID or including a limited set of people in the unvaccinated comparison group. The researchers wrote that their study offers more certainty because the people who took part in it more widely represent the general population. All of the people in the study had lab test-confirmed infections of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) between March 2020 and May 2022.

Among vaccinated and unvaccinated people combined, 32% of infected people said they had symptoms for at least 30 days, and nearly 18% said they had symptoms for 90 days or more, according to a summary of the study published by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. The researchers compared vaccinated and unvaccinated people multiple ways and consistently showed at least a 40% difference in long COVID.

In 2022, 6.9% of US adults self-reported that they had had long COVID, which researchers defined as symptoms for at least 3 months after testing positive or being diagnosed by a doctor, according to a report last week from the CDC. That report also showed that the states with the highest rates of long COVID in 2022 were Alabama, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming. West Virginia had the highest rate of self-reported long COVID, at 10.6% of adults.

People with long COVID may have one or more of about 20 symptoms, including tiredness, fever, and problems that get worse after physical or mental effort. Other long-term signs are respiratory and heart symptoms, thinking problems, digestive issues, joint or muscle pain, rashes, or changes in menstrual cycles. The problems can be so severe that people may qualify for disability status.

About 8 in 10 US adults got the initial round of COVID vaccines, but just 22% of people reported receiving the latest version that became available in the fall of 2023.

The authors of the Michigan study wrote that “COVID-19 vaccination may be an important tool to reduce the burden of long COVID.”

A version of this article appeared on WebMD.com.

People vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly less likely to have long COVID during the first few years of the pandemic, a new study from Michigan shows.

The findings were published in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. Researchers analyzed data for 4695 adults in Michigan, looking for people reporting COVID symptoms for more than 30 or more than 90 days after infection. They then looked at whether people had completed a full, initial vaccination series or not. Vaccinated people were 58% less likely than unvaccinated people to have symptoms lasting at least 30 days, and they were 43% less likely to have symptoms for 90 days or more.

The researchers did their study because previous estimates of how much vaccination protects against long COVID have varied widely due to different ways of doing the research, such as mixed definitions of long COVID or including a limited set of people in the unvaccinated comparison group. The researchers wrote that their study offers more certainty because the people who took part in it more widely represent the general population. All of the people in the study had lab test-confirmed infections of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) between March 2020 and May 2022.

Among vaccinated and unvaccinated people combined, 32% of infected people said they had symptoms for at least 30 days, and nearly 18% said they had symptoms for 90 days or more, according to a summary of the study published by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. The researchers compared vaccinated and unvaccinated people multiple ways and consistently showed at least a 40% difference in long COVID.

In 2022, 6.9% of US adults self-reported that they had had long COVID, which researchers defined as symptoms for at least 3 months after testing positive or being diagnosed by a doctor, according to a report last week from the CDC. That report also showed that the states with the highest rates of long COVID in 2022 were Alabama, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming. West Virginia had the highest rate of self-reported long COVID, at 10.6% of adults.

People with long COVID may have one or more of about 20 symptoms, including tiredness, fever, and problems that get worse after physical or mental effort. Other long-term signs are respiratory and heart symptoms, thinking problems, digestive issues, joint or muscle pain, rashes, or changes in menstrual cycles. The problems can be so severe that people may qualify for disability status.

About 8 in 10 US adults got the initial round of COVID vaccines, but just 22% of people reported receiving the latest version that became available in the fall of 2023.

The authors of the Michigan study wrote that “COVID-19 vaccination may be an important tool to reduce the burden of long COVID.”

A version of this article appeared on WebMD.com.

Many patients with obesity blame weight gain on their metabolism. The reality is that metabolism can be blamed for weight regain after people try to lose weight! As we age, our metabolism does slow down; sometimes we think it stops working.

Metabolism, or resting energy expenditure, is directly related to how much muscle mass we have. As we age, we lose muscle, which is called sarcopenia.

What happens to our metabolism when we try to lose weight? Let’s first discuss what metabolism is.
 

What Is Metabolism?

Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that convert food into energy for sustaining life, cellular processes, and as storage for a rainy day.

Total energy expenditure (TEE) is broken down into resting energy expenditure (REE), thermic effect of food (TEF), and nonresting expenditure (NREE) or physical activity, and is made up of: TEE = 60% REE + 10% TEF + 30% NREE.

An elegant study performed by Dr. Rudy Leibel explored the effects of weight loss or weight gain on metabolism in 23 lean and 18 patients with obesity who were placed in a metabolic chamber. Weight loss of 10% or 20% body weight led to a decrease in TEE roughly equal to about 300 kcal/d, and an increase in body weight of 10% caused an increase in TEE of about 500 kcal/d. These changes led to the patient reverting to the prior weight (before weight loss or gain). In other words, Dr. Leibel postulated a feedback mechanism for the effect of fat mass decrease or increase on energy metabolism. The feedback mechanism or signal from fat was subsequently found to be leptin.

In a later study, Dr. Leibel and colleagues investigated the effects of body fat mass change on TEE and found that a 10% reduction in weight caused a decrease of TEE by 21%, comprising a decrease in NREE of 37.5% and a decrease in REE of 11.6%.

Therefore, the biggest change in TEE comes from NREE or exercise energy expenditure. The 35% variance in NEE change was accounted for by a decrease in muscle work efficiency in generating 10 watts or low levels of work such as walking.

In other words, when persons with obesity or lean persons lose weight, the efficiency of muscle at low levels of work increases such that one burns less energy when walking than one normally would. This helps conserve energy and tends to cause the body to go back to the higher weight.
 

So, How Can One Change Metabolism?

Let’s say one did lose weight and wants to counteract this TEE loss and increased muscle efficiency at low levels of work.

To counteract this effect, one should increase muscle work beyond low level so that more energy is expended. Another way would be to increase muscle mass so that there is more muscle that can do work.

This is exactly how metabolism can be altered or increased. What can be changed most readily, and what we have the most power over in our bodies, is the NREE.

To do this, muscles need anabolic power — the power to heal and build muscle mass. Anabolic power comes from eating healthy protein sources such as lean chicken, fish, beef, and eggs as well as dry beans, tofu, and dairy products.. It seems that older adults (> 60 years) need more protein than younger adults to build muscle mass, due to the body’s natural aging process which leads to sarcopenia. How much more? Studies show between 1.2 and 1.5 g/kg of body weight per day, whereas younger persons need 0.80 g/kg.

Developing sarcopenia with age involves muscle losing the ability to use protein and amino acids to rebuild injured tissue.

Let’s put this in perspective for treating obesity.

Obesity is brought on by the body’s defense of a higher body weight by interaction with the environment of highly processed foods that work on the reward pathway, leading to weight gain and resistance to satiety. Weight loss via diet, exercise, and medications works, but this weight loss is also accompanied by a decrease in TEE.

Weight loss is primarily fat mass loss, but depending on the degree of protein intake and muscle resistance training, 20%-50% of the total weight loss is muscle mass loss. Therefore, higher-protein diets and resistance exercise can be useful in preserving muscle mass and counteracting the decrease in TEE, maintaining energy expenditure. In older patients, an additional factor is the muscle’s lack of ability to use protein as an anabolic agent to protect muscle mass and thus the need for higher protein loads to do this.

All in all, can doctors help patients boost their metabolism, especially as they lose weight and maintain that loss? Yes — through protein intake and resistance exercise training.

Here are some tips to help your patients get cardio and resistance exercise into their routine.

First find out whether your patient prefers a social exercise interaction or solo training. If social, then the gym or classes such as cycling or boot camps at those gyms may work for them, especially if they can go with a friend. If solo is better, than a gym in the home might work. Peloton bikes are expensive but the interaction is all on the website!

A personal trainer may help motivate the patient if they know someone is waiting for them.

Let’s hit the gym!

Another note: There are agents in the obesity treatment pipeline that purport to change body composition while helping patients lose weight. Some of these agents are myostatin antagonists and antibodies that inhibit the activity of myostatin to break down muscle. These agents have been found to build muscle mass, but whether the quality of the muscle mass leads to an increase in muscle strength or functionality remains controversial. The next frontier in obesity treatment will be about decreasing fat mass and increasing muscle mass while making sure that increased muscle mass leads to improved functionality.

In the meantime, aside from new agents on the horizon, the best and healthiest way to keep metabolism on the up and up is to eat healthy lean proteins and exercise. How much exercise? The recommendation is 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week; plus 20 minutes of resistance exercise training 2-3 days per week for upper- and lower-extremity and core strength.

Again, let’s hit the gym!
 

Dr. Apovian is in the department of medicine, and codirector, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston. She disclosed ties with Altimmune, Cowen and Company, Currax Pharmaceuticals, EPG Communication Holdings, Gelesis, Srl, L-Nutra, and NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, and Novo Nordisk. She received research grant from the National Institutes of Health, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and GI Dynamics.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Many patients with obesity blame weight gain on their metabolism. The reality is that metabolism can be blamed for weight regain after people try to lose weight! As we age, our metabolism does slow down; sometimes we think it stops working.

Metabolism, or resting energy expenditure, is directly related to how much muscle mass we have. As we age, we lose muscle, which is called sarcopenia.

What happens to our metabolism when we try to lose weight? Let’s first discuss what metabolism is.
 

What Is Metabolism?

Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that convert food into energy for sustaining life, cellular processes, and as storage for a rainy day.

Total energy expenditure (TEE) is broken down into resting energy expenditure (REE), thermic effect of food (TEF), and nonresting expenditure (NREE) or physical activity, and is made up of: TEE = 60% REE + 10% TEF + 30% NREE.

An elegant study performed by Dr. Rudy Leibel explored the effects of weight loss or weight gain on metabolism in 23 lean and 18 patients with obesity who were placed in a metabolic chamber. Weight loss of 10% or 20% body weight led to a decrease in TEE roughly equal to about 300 kcal/d, and an increase in body weight of 10% caused an increase in TEE of about 500 kcal/d. These changes led to the patient reverting to the prior weight (before weight loss or gain). In other words, Dr. Leibel postulated a feedback mechanism for the effect of fat mass decrease or increase on energy metabolism. The feedback mechanism or signal from fat was subsequently found to be leptin.

In a later study, Dr. Leibel and colleagues investigated the effects of body fat mass change on TEE and found that a 10% reduction in weight caused a decrease of TEE by 21%, comprising a decrease in NREE of 37.5% and a decrease in REE of 11.6%.

Therefore, the biggest change in TEE comes from NREE or exercise energy expenditure. The 35% variance in NEE change was accounted for by a decrease in muscle work efficiency in generating 10 watts or low levels of work such as walking.

In other words, when persons with obesity or lean persons lose weight, the efficiency of muscle at low levels of work increases such that one burns less energy when walking than one normally would. This helps conserve energy and tends to cause the body to go back to the higher weight.
 

So, How Can One Change Metabolism?

Let’s say one did lose weight and wants to counteract this TEE loss and increased muscle efficiency at low levels of work.

To counteract this effect, one should increase muscle work beyond low level so that more energy is expended. Another way would be to increase muscle mass so that there is more muscle that can do work.

This is exactly how metabolism can be altered or increased. What can be changed most readily, and what we have the most power over in our bodies, is the NREE.

To do this, muscles need anabolic power — the power to heal and build muscle mass. Anabolic power comes from eating healthy protein sources such as lean chicken, fish, beef, and eggs as well as dry beans, tofu, and dairy products.. It seems that older adults (> 60 years) need more protein than younger adults to build muscle mass, due to the body’s natural aging process which leads to sarcopenia. How much more? Studies show between 1.2 and 1.5 g/kg of body weight per day, whereas younger persons need 0.80 g/kg.

Developing sarcopenia with age involves muscle losing the ability to use protein and amino acids to rebuild injured tissue.

Let’s put this in perspective for treating obesity.

Obesity is brought on by the body’s defense of a higher body weight by interaction with the environment of highly processed foods that work on the reward pathway, leading to weight gain and resistance to satiety. Weight loss via diet, exercise, and medications works, but this weight loss is also accompanied by a decrease in TEE.

Weight loss is primarily fat mass loss, but depending on the degree of protein intake and muscle resistance training, 20%-50% of the total weight loss is muscle mass loss. Therefore, higher-protein diets and resistance exercise can be useful in preserving muscle mass and counteracting the decrease in TEE, maintaining energy expenditure. In older patients, an additional factor is the muscle’s lack of ability to use protein as an anabolic agent to protect muscle mass and thus the need for higher protein loads to do this.

All in all, can doctors help patients boost their metabolism, especially as they lose weight and maintain that loss? Yes — through protein intake and resistance exercise training.

Here are some tips to help your patients get cardio and resistance exercise into their routine.

First find out whether your patient prefers a social exercise interaction or solo training. If social, then the gym or classes such as cycling or boot camps at those gyms may work for them, especially if they can go with a friend. If solo is better, than a gym in the home might work. Peloton bikes are expensive but the interaction is all on the website!

A personal trainer may help motivate the patient if they know someone is waiting for them.

Let’s hit the gym!

Another note: There are agents in the obesity treatment pipeline that purport to change body composition while helping patients lose weight. Some of these agents are myostatin antagonists and antibodies that inhibit the activity of myostatin to break down muscle. These agents have been found to build muscle mass, but whether the quality of the muscle mass leads to an increase in muscle strength or functionality remains controversial. The next frontier in obesity treatment will be about decreasing fat mass and increasing muscle mass while making sure that increased muscle mass leads to improved functionality.

In the meantime, aside from new agents on the horizon, the best and healthiest way to keep metabolism on the up and up is to eat healthy lean proteins and exercise. How much exercise? The recommendation is 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week; plus 20 minutes of resistance exercise training 2-3 days per week for upper- and lower-extremity and core strength.

Again, let’s hit the gym!
 

Dr. Apovian is in the department of medicine, and codirector, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston. She disclosed ties with Altimmune, Cowen and Company, Currax Pharmaceuticals, EPG Communication Holdings, Gelesis, Srl, L-Nutra, and NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, and Novo Nordisk. She received research grant from the National Institutes of Health, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and GI Dynamics.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Many patients with obesity blame weight gain on their metabolism. The reality is that metabolism can be blamed for weight regain after people try to lose weight! As we age, our metabolism does slow down; sometimes we think it stops working.

Metabolism, or resting energy expenditure, is directly related to how much muscle mass we have. As we age, we lose muscle, which is called sarcopenia.

What happens to our metabolism when we try to lose weight? Let’s first discuss what metabolism is.
 

What Is Metabolism?

Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that convert food into energy for sustaining life, cellular processes, and as storage for a rainy day.

Total energy expenditure (TEE) is broken down into resting energy expenditure (REE), thermic effect of food (TEF), and nonresting expenditure (NREE) or physical activity, and is made up of: TEE = 60% REE + 10% TEF + 30% NREE.

An elegant study performed by Dr. Rudy Leibel explored the effects of weight loss or weight gain on metabolism in 23 lean and 18 patients with obesity who were placed in a metabolic chamber. Weight loss of 10% or 20% body weight led to a decrease in TEE roughly equal to about 300 kcal/d, and an increase in body weight of 10% caused an increase in TEE of about 500 kcal/d. These changes led to the patient reverting to the prior weight (before weight loss or gain). In other words, Dr. Leibel postulated a feedback mechanism for the effect of fat mass decrease or increase on energy metabolism. The feedback mechanism or signal from fat was subsequently found to be leptin.

In a later study, Dr. Leibel and colleagues investigated the effects of body fat mass change on TEE and found that a 10% reduction in weight caused a decrease of TEE by 21%, comprising a decrease in NREE of 37.5% and a decrease in REE of 11.6%.

Therefore, the biggest change in TEE comes from NREE or exercise energy expenditure. The 35% variance in NEE change was accounted for by a decrease in muscle work efficiency in generating 10 watts or low levels of work such as walking.

In other words, when persons with obesity or lean persons lose weight, the efficiency of muscle at low levels of work increases such that one burns less energy when walking than one normally would. This helps conserve energy and tends to cause the body to go back to the higher weight.
 

So, How Can One Change Metabolism?

Let’s say one did lose weight and wants to counteract this TEE loss and increased muscle efficiency at low levels of work.

To counteract this effect, one should increase muscle work beyond low level so that more energy is expended. Another way would be to increase muscle mass so that there is more muscle that can do work.

This is exactly how metabolism can be altered or increased. What can be changed most readily, and what we have the most power over in our bodies, is the NREE.

To do this, muscles need anabolic power — the power to heal and build muscle mass. Anabolic power comes from eating healthy protein sources such as lean chicken, fish, beef, and eggs as well as dry beans, tofu, and dairy products.. It seems that older adults (> 60 years) need more protein than younger adults to build muscle mass, due to the body’s natural aging process which leads to sarcopenia. How much more? Studies show between 1.2 and 1.5 g/kg of body weight per day, whereas younger persons need 0.80 g/kg.

Developing sarcopenia with age involves muscle losing the ability to use protein and amino acids to rebuild injured tissue.

Let’s put this in perspective for treating obesity.

Obesity is brought on by the body’s defense of a higher body weight by interaction with the environment of highly processed foods that work on the reward pathway, leading to weight gain and resistance to satiety. Weight loss via diet, exercise, and medications works, but this weight loss is also accompanied by a decrease in TEE.

Weight loss is primarily fat mass loss, but depending on the degree of protein intake and muscle resistance training, 20%-50% of the total weight loss is muscle mass loss. Therefore, higher-protein diets and resistance exercise can be useful in preserving muscle mass and counteracting the decrease in TEE, maintaining energy expenditure. In older patients, an additional factor is the muscle’s lack of ability to use protein as an anabolic agent to protect muscle mass and thus the need for higher protein loads to do this.

All in all, can doctors help patients boost their metabolism, especially as they lose weight and maintain that loss? Yes — through protein intake and resistance exercise training.

Here are some tips to help your patients get cardio and resistance exercise into their routine.

First find out whether your patient prefers a social exercise interaction or solo training. If social, then the gym or classes such as cycling or boot camps at those gyms may work for them, especially if they can go with a friend. If solo is better, than a gym in the home might work. Peloton bikes are expensive but the interaction is all on the website!

A personal trainer may help motivate the patient if they know someone is waiting for them.

Let’s hit the gym!

Another note: There are agents in the obesity treatment pipeline that purport to change body composition while helping patients lose weight. Some of these agents are myostatin antagonists and antibodies that inhibit the activity of myostatin to break down muscle. These agents have been found to build muscle mass, but whether the quality of the muscle mass leads to an increase in muscle strength or functionality remains controversial. The next frontier in obesity treatment will be about decreasing fat mass and increasing muscle mass while making sure that increased muscle mass leads to improved functionality.

In the meantime, aside from new agents on the horizon, the best and healthiest way to keep metabolism on the up and up is to eat healthy lean proteins and exercise. How much exercise? The recommendation is 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week; plus 20 minutes of resistance exercise training 2-3 days per week for upper- and lower-extremity and core strength.

Again, let’s hit the gym!
 

Dr. Apovian is in the department of medicine, and codirector, Center for Weight Management and Wellness, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston. She disclosed ties with Altimmune, Cowen and Company, Currax Pharmaceuticals, EPG Communication Holdings, Gelesis, Srl, L-Nutra, and NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, and Novo Nordisk. She received research grant from the National Institutes of Health, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and GI Dynamics.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Communicating bad news to patients is one of the most stressful and challenging clinical tasks for any physician, regardless of his or her specialty. Delivering bad news to a patient or their close relative is demanding because the information provided during the dialogue can substantially alter the person’s perspective on life. This task is more frequent for physicians caring for oncology patients and can also affect the physician’s emotional state.

The manner in which bad news is communicated plays a significant role in the psychological burden on the patient, and various communication techniques and guidelines have been developed to enable physicians to perform this difficult task effectively.

Revealing bad news in person whenever possible, to address the emotional responses of patients or relatives, is part of the prevailing expert recommendations. However, it has been acknowledged that in certain situations, communicating bad news over the phone is more feasible.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the disclosure of bad news over the phone has become a necessary substitute for in-person visits and an integral part of clinical practice worldwide. It remains to be clarified what the real psychological impact on patients and their closest relatives is when delivering bad news over the phone compared with delivering it in person.

Right and Wrong Ways

The most popular guideline for communicating bad news is SPIKES, a six-phase protocol with a special application for cancer patients. It is used in various countries (eg, the United States, France, and Germany) as a guide for this sensitive practice and for training in communication skills in this context. The SPIKES acronym refers to the following six recommended steps for delivering bad news:

• Setting: Set up the conversation.
• Perception: Assess the patient’s perception.
• Invitation: Ask the patient what he or she would like to know.
• Knowledge: Provide the patient with knowledge and information, breaking it down into small parts.
• Emotions: Acknowledge and empathetically address the patient’s emotions.
• Strategy and Summary: Summarize and define a medical action plan.

The lesson from SPIKES is that when a person experiences strong emotions, it is difficult to continue discussing anything, and they will struggle to hear anything. Allowing for silence is fundamental. In addition, empathy allows the patient to express his or her feelings and concerns, as well as provide support. The aim is not to argue but to allow the expression of emotions without criticism. However, these recommendations are primarily based on expert opinion and less on empirical evidence, due to the difficulty of studies in assessing patient outcomes in various phases of these protocols.

A recent study analyzed the differences in psychological distress between patients who received bad news over the phone vs those who received it in person. The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The investigators examined 5944 studies, including 11 qualitative analysis studies, nine meta-analyses, and four randomized controlled trials.

In a set of studies ranging from moderate to good quality, no difference in psychological distress was found when bad news was disclosed over the phone compared with in person, regarding anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

There was no average difference in patient satisfaction levels when bad news was delivered over the phone compared with in person. The risk for dissatisfaction was similar between groups.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

The demand for telemedicine, including the disclosure of bad news, is growing despite the limited knowledge of potential adverse effects. The results of existing studies suggest that the mode of disclosure may play a secondary role, and the manner in which bad news is communicated may be more important.

Therefore, it is paramount to prepare patients or their families for the possibility of receiving bad news well in advance and, during the conversation, to ensure first and foremost that they are in an appropriate environment. The structure and content of the conversation may be relevant, and adhering to dedicated communication strategies can be a wise choice for the physician and the interlocutor.

This story was translated from Univadis Italy, which is part of the Medscape professional network, using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Communicating bad news to patients is one of the most stressful and challenging clinical tasks for any physician, regardless of his or her specialty. Delivering bad news to a patient or their close relative is demanding because the information provided during the dialogue can substantially alter the person’s perspective on life. This task is more frequent for physicians caring for oncology patients and can also affect the physician’s emotional state.

The manner in which bad news is communicated plays a significant role in the psychological burden on the patient, and various communication techniques and guidelines have been developed to enable physicians to perform this difficult task effectively.

Revealing bad news in person whenever possible, to address the emotional responses of patients or relatives, is part of the prevailing expert recommendations. However, it has been acknowledged that in certain situations, communicating bad news over the phone is more feasible.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the disclosure of bad news over the phone has become a necessary substitute for in-person visits and an integral part of clinical practice worldwide. It remains to be clarified what the real psychological impact on patients and their closest relatives is when delivering bad news over the phone compared with delivering it in person.

Right and Wrong Ways

The most popular guideline for communicating bad news is SPIKES, a six-phase protocol with a special application for cancer patients. It is used in various countries (eg, the United States, France, and Germany) as a guide for this sensitive practice and for training in communication skills in this context. The SPIKES acronym refers to the following six recommended steps for delivering bad news:

• Setting: Set up the conversation.
• Perception: Assess the patient’s perception.
• Invitation: Ask the patient what he or she would like to know.
• Knowledge: Provide the patient with knowledge and information, breaking it down into small parts.
• Emotions: Acknowledge and empathetically address the patient’s emotions.
• Strategy and Summary: Summarize and define a medical action plan.

The lesson from SPIKES is that when a person experiences strong emotions, it is difficult to continue discussing anything, and they will struggle to hear anything. Allowing for silence is fundamental. In addition, empathy allows the patient to express his or her feelings and concerns, as well as provide support. The aim is not to argue but to allow the expression of emotions without criticism. However, these recommendations are primarily based on expert opinion and less on empirical evidence, due to the difficulty of studies in assessing patient outcomes in various phases of these protocols.

A recent study analyzed the differences in psychological distress between patients who received bad news over the phone vs those who received it in person. The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The investigators examined 5944 studies, including 11 qualitative analysis studies, nine meta-analyses, and four randomized controlled trials.

In a set of studies ranging from moderate to good quality, no difference in psychological distress was found when bad news was disclosed over the phone compared with in person, regarding anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

There was no average difference in patient satisfaction levels when bad news was delivered over the phone compared with in person. The risk for dissatisfaction was similar between groups.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

The demand for telemedicine, including the disclosure of bad news, is growing despite the limited knowledge of potential adverse effects. The results of existing studies suggest that the mode of disclosure may play a secondary role, and the manner in which bad news is communicated may be more important.

Therefore, it is paramount to prepare patients or their families for the possibility of receiving bad news well in advance and, during the conversation, to ensure first and foremost that they are in an appropriate environment. The structure and content of the conversation may be relevant, and adhering to dedicated communication strategies can be a wise choice for the physician and the interlocutor.

This story was translated from Univadis Italy, which is part of the Medscape professional network, using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

Communicating bad news to patients is one of the most stressful and challenging clinical tasks for any physician, regardless of his or her specialty. Delivering bad news to a patient or their close relative is demanding because the information provided during the dialogue can substantially alter the person’s perspective on life. This task is more frequent for physicians caring for oncology patients and can also affect the physician’s emotional state.

The manner in which bad news is communicated plays a significant role in the psychological burden on the patient, and various communication techniques and guidelines have been developed to enable physicians to perform this difficult task effectively.

Revealing bad news in person whenever possible, to address the emotional responses of patients or relatives, is part of the prevailing expert recommendations. However, it has been acknowledged that in certain situations, communicating bad news over the phone is more feasible.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the disclosure of bad news over the phone has become a necessary substitute for in-person visits and an integral part of clinical practice worldwide. It remains to be clarified what the real psychological impact on patients and their closest relatives is when delivering bad news over the phone compared with delivering it in person.

Right and Wrong Ways

The most popular guideline for communicating bad news is SPIKES, a six-phase protocol with a special application for cancer patients. It is used in various countries (eg, the United States, France, and Germany) as a guide for this sensitive practice and for training in communication skills in this context. The SPIKES acronym refers to the following six recommended steps for delivering bad news:

• Setting: Set up the conversation.
• Perception: Assess the patient’s perception.
• Invitation: Ask the patient what he or she would like to know.
• Knowledge: Provide the patient with knowledge and information, breaking it down into small parts.
• Emotions: Acknowledge and empathetically address the patient’s emotions.
• Strategy and Summary: Summarize and define a medical action plan.

The lesson from SPIKES is that when a person experiences strong emotions, it is difficult to continue discussing anything, and they will struggle to hear anything. Allowing for silence is fundamental. In addition, empathy allows the patient to express his or her feelings and concerns, as well as provide support. The aim is not to argue but to allow the expression of emotions without criticism. However, these recommendations are primarily based on expert opinion and less on empirical evidence, due to the difficulty of studies in assessing patient outcomes in various phases of these protocols.

A recent study analyzed the differences in psychological distress between patients who received bad news over the phone vs those who received it in person. The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The investigators examined 5944 studies, including 11 qualitative analysis studies, nine meta-analyses, and four randomized controlled trials.

In a set of studies ranging from moderate to good quality, no difference in psychological distress was found when bad news was disclosed over the phone compared with in person, regarding anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

There was no average difference in patient satisfaction levels when bad news was delivered over the phone compared with in person. The risk for dissatisfaction was similar between groups.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

The demand for telemedicine, including the disclosure of bad news, is growing despite the limited knowledge of potential adverse effects. The results of existing studies suggest that the mode of disclosure may play a secondary role, and the manner in which bad news is communicated may be more important.

Therefore, it is paramount to prepare patients or their families for the possibility of receiving bad news well in advance and, during the conversation, to ensure first and foremost that they are in an appropriate environment. The structure and content of the conversation may be relevant, and adhering to dedicated communication strategies can be a wise choice for the physician and the interlocutor.

This story was translated from Univadis Italy, which is part of the Medscape professional network, using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration has granted De Novo classification to a sleep apnea feature developed by Samsung for use via the Health Monitor app, according to a company press release.

The sleep apnea feature will be available on watches in Samsung’s Galaxy series in the third quarter of 2024, according to the press release.

The new feature on the app is designed to help users with no previous diagnosis of sleep apnea to detect moderate to severe symptoms over a 2-night period.

The sleep apnea feature allows individuals older than 22 years to track their sleep twice for more than 4 hours within a 10-day period. The feature identifies breathing disruptions.

The feature “is expected to help more people proactively detect moderate or severe forms of OSA and, as a result of the detection, seek medical care to reduce the possibility of health-related complications,” according to the company.

Health-related complications associated with poor sleep include increased risk for hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke, as well as fatigue, decreased mental and emotional well-being, and problems in personal relationships, according to the release.

The feature is not meant for use by individuals with a sleep apnea diagnosis, nor should it replace traditional sleep apnea assessment and diagnosis by qualified clinicians, the company noted.

The feature on the app was approved by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in October 2023.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration has granted De Novo classification to a sleep apnea feature developed by Samsung for use via the Health Monitor app, according to a company press release.

The sleep apnea feature will be available on watches in Samsung’s Galaxy series in the third quarter of 2024, according to the press release.

The new feature on the app is designed to help users with no previous diagnosis of sleep apnea to detect moderate to severe symptoms over a 2-night period.

The sleep apnea feature allows individuals older than 22 years to track their sleep twice for more than 4 hours within a 10-day period. The feature identifies breathing disruptions.

The feature “is expected to help more people proactively detect moderate or severe forms of OSA and, as a result of the detection, seek medical care to reduce the possibility of health-related complications,” according to the company.

Health-related complications associated with poor sleep include increased risk for hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke, as well as fatigue, decreased mental and emotional well-being, and problems in personal relationships, according to the release.

The feature is not meant for use by individuals with a sleep apnea diagnosis, nor should it replace traditional sleep apnea assessment and diagnosis by qualified clinicians, the company noted.

The feature on the app was approved by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in October 2023.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration has granted De Novo classification to a sleep apnea feature developed by Samsung for use via the Health Monitor app, according to a company press release.

The sleep apnea feature will be available on watches in Samsung’s Galaxy series in the third quarter of 2024, according to the press release.

The new feature on the app is designed to help users with no previous diagnosis of sleep apnea to detect moderate to severe symptoms over a 2-night period.

The sleep apnea feature allows individuals older than 22 years to track their sleep twice for more than 4 hours within a 10-day period. The feature identifies breathing disruptions.

The feature “is expected to help more people proactively detect moderate or severe forms of OSA and, as a result of the detection, seek medical care to reduce the possibility of health-related complications,” according to the company.

Health-related complications associated with poor sleep include increased risk for hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke, as well as fatigue, decreased mental and emotional well-being, and problems in personal relationships, according to the release.

The feature is not meant for use by individuals with a sleep apnea diagnosis, nor should it replace traditional sleep apnea assessment and diagnosis by qualified clinicians, the company noted.

The feature on the app was approved by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in October 2023.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

“She’s, like, 90 years old. I’m not going to ask her about sex!” says the cringing resident. “She’s older than my grandmother!”

Well, my young friend, our 80- and 90-year-old patients were in their 20s and 30s in the 1960s. You can bet some of them were pretty groovy! A Swedish study of septuagenarians revealed a shift in sexual attitudes: from 5% of 70-year-old women in the 1970s citing sex as a positive aspect of life, to 78% in 2000. Those of us in practice who came of age during the AIDS era and alongside the purity movement of the 1990s can be more sexually reserved than our grandparents. We might need to catch up. In fact, in another study, 82% of 97-year-old female participants felt that being asked about their sexuality in healthcare settings was positive.

While changes do occur in sexual physiology and behavior with age, satisfying sexual engagement may be an important factor in the general well-being and overall health of older women. Given the high prevalence of dementia among this population, it may be useful to know that positive sexual expression may delay cognitive decline. We also have evidence that sexual satisfaction is important for relational health, which in turn helps predict physical health.

Shed the Dysfunction Mindset

Our medical bias has been that a fulfilling sexual life requires a hard penis and a lubricated vagina. This view of the range of healthy and satisfying sexual expression is lamentably limited. Older adults may have more problems with physiologic arousal in the form of more erectile dysfunction and decreased vaginal lubrication, but these issues may lead to partnerships in which there is less insertive/receiving sexual play and more oral sex, cuddling, kissing, and other forms of partnered sexual play. Older adults may focus less on performance and more on intimacy. In fact, as heterosexual couples encounter these physiologic changes, their sexual behavior may begin to focus more attention to female pleasure. Good news for older women!

As described by Dutch sexuality and aging expert Woet Gianotten, MD, older adults have a lot going for them in their sex lives. Many are retired with more time available, less work stress, greater comfort and familiarity with their partners, and less insecurity about their bodies.

Common Concerns

Many older adults are having satisfying sexual play and are less bothered by changes in their sexual physiology. Still, for those who aren’t happy with their sex lives, clinicians must be ready to address these concerns.

Nancy, an 87-year-old patient whose husband died 5 years ago after 59 years of marriage, has just met someone new. When they are intimate physically, she’s not feeling aroused in the way she recalls, and wonders, Where have my orgasms gone?

A host of physical changes among older women can affect the sexual experience, including the vulvovaginal changes of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), incontinence, uterine prolapse, diminished sensation, and reduced overall mobility. Although aging is responsible for some of these changes, chronic diseases and medical treatments can play an even larger role.

GSM is a major contributor to sexual pain, genital irritation, and reduced arousal and orgasm. It’s crazy that we don’t ask about and treat GSM. Beyond the sexual impact, the vaginal dryness of GSM can contribute to urinary tract infections, which can lead to sepsis and even death! Vaginal estrogens and other GSM treatments are safe and effective in the vast majority of women. Vaginal moisturizers, vaginal dilators, and increasing genital blood flow also help improve GSM.

Vaginal dilators are used in the management of vaginal stenosis, when the vaginal skin has contracted as a result of GSM or pelvic radiation to treat cancer. Dilators are also used to treat some forms of high-tone pelvic floor dysfunction. For expert guidance and coaching on the use of dilators, seek out sexual medicine specialists and pelvic floor physical therapists. Pelvic floor physical therapy is important in the management of a wide range of sexual concerns, from reduced arousal and orgasm to almost any kind of sexual pain.

For postmenopausal women who are distressed by hypoactive sexual desire disorder, transdermal low-dose testosterone may be considered when other causes of low libido have been ruled out.

Due to changes in nerve fiber sensitivity over time, older age is an ideal phase of life to incorporate higher-intensity vibration and other sexual devices into solo and partner sex. Mobility limitations and joint pain can be addressed with devices designed specifically for this purpose or with the use of pillows and other supports.

As Betty Dodson, a staunch advocate for women’s pleasure until her death in 2020 at 91, wisely said, “Masturbation will get you through childhood, puberty, romance, marriage, and divorce, and it will see you through old age.” We can encourage women to see sexual play and pleasure flexibly, as a lifelong process of self-knowledge and discovery.

Basic Tips for Patients

• More “fiction and friction,” as coined by sex therapist Barry McCarthy, is necessary. As bodies age, more stimulation, both mental and physical, is necessary and often requires more direct physical stimulation of genitals.
• More time: Everything seems to take more time as we age; sex is no different.
• Incontinence concerns can be addressed by open communication and collaboration with partners, and being prepared with waterproof pads for the bed and towels.
• Ask about medical intervention–related sexual side effects. A wide range of medications can decrease desire and arousal and delay orgasm. If a change in sexual function occurred with starting a medication, it may be worthwhile investigating alternatives or, if possible, discontinuing a medication. Surgical and procedural changes to the anatomy also can affect sexual function. While correction may be impossible once certain changes have occurred, clinicians can provide patients with both validation about the problem and hope that, for the most part, with creativity and flexibility, pleasurable sexual experience is possible in all bodies.

Pebble M. Kranz, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

“She’s, like, 90 years old. I’m not going to ask her about sex!” says the cringing resident. “She’s older than my grandmother!”

Well, my young friend, our 80- and 90-year-old patients were in their 20s and 30s in the 1960s. You can bet some of them were pretty groovy! A Swedish study of septuagenarians revealed a shift in sexual attitudes: from 5% of 70-year-old women in the 1970s citing sex as a positive aspect of life, to 78% in 2000. Those of us in practice who came of age during the AIDS era and alongside the purity movement of the 1990s can be more sexually reserved than our grandparents. We might need to catch up. In fact, in another study, 82% of 97-year-old female participants felt that being asked about their sexuality in healthcare settings was positive.

While changes do occur in sexual physiology and behavior with age, satisfying sexual engagement may be an important factor in the general well-being and overall health of older women. Given the high prevalence of dementia among this population, it may be useful to know that positive sexual expression may delay cognitive decline. We also have evidence that sexual satisfaction is important for relational health, which in turn helps predict physical health.

Shed the Dysfunction Mindset

Our medical bias has been that a fulfilling sexual life requires a hard penis and a lubricated vagina. This view of the range of healthy and satisfying sexual expression is lamentably limited. Older adults may have more problems with physiologic arousal in the form of more erectile dysfunction and decreased vaginal lubrication, but these issues may lead to partnerships in which there is less insertive/receiving sexual play and more oral sex, cuddling, kissing, and other forms of partnered sexual play. Older adults may focus less on performance and more on intimacy. In fact, as heterosexual couples encounter these physiologic changes, their sexual behavior may begin to focus more attention to female pleasure. Good news for older women!

As described by Dutch sexuality and aging expert Woet Gianotten, MD, older adults have a lot going for them in their sex lives. Many are retired with more time available, less work stress, greater comfort and familiarity with their partners, and less insecurity about their bodies.

Common Concerns

Many older adults are having satisfying sexual play and are less bothered by changes in their sexual physiology. Still, for those who aren’t happy with their sex lives, clinicians must be ready to address these concerns.

Nancy, an 87-year-old patient whose husband died 5 years ago after 59 years of marriage, has just met someone new. When they are intimate physically, she’s not feeling aroused in the way she recalls, and wonders, Where have my orgasms gone?

A host of physical changes among older women can affect the sexual experience, including the vulvovaginal changes of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), incontinence, uterine prolapse, diminished sensation, and reduced overall mobility. Although aging is responsible for some of these changes, chronic diseases and medical treatments can play an even larger role.

GSM is a major contributor to sexual pain, genital irritation, and reduced arousal and orgasm. It’s crazy that we don’t ask about and treat GSM. Beyond the sexual impact, the vaginal dryness of GSM can contribute to urinary tract infections, which can lead to sepsis and even death! Vaginal estrogens and other GSM treatments are safe and effective in the vast majority of women. Vaginal moisturizers, vaginal dilators, and increasing genital blood flow also help improve GSM.

Vaginal dilators are used in the management of vaginal stenosis, when the vaginal skin has contracted as a result of GSM or pelvic radiation to treat cancer. Dilators are also used to treat some forms of high-tone pelvic floor dysfunction. For expert guidance and coaching on the use of dilators, seek out sexual medicine specialists and pelvic floor physical therapists. Pelvic floor physical therapy is important in the management of a wide range of sexual concerns, from reduced arousal and orgasm to almost any kind of sexual pain.

For postmenopausal women who are distressed by hypoactive sexual desire disorder, transdermal low-dose testosterone may be considered when other causes of low libido have been ruled out.

Due to changes in nerve fiber sensitivity over time, older age is an ideal phase of life to incorporate higher-intensity vibration and other sexual devices into solo and partner sex. Mobility limitations and joint pain can be addressed with devices designed specifically for this purpose or with the use of pillows and other supports.

As Betty Dodson, a staunch advocate for women’s pleasure until her death in 2020 at 91, wisely said, “Masturbation will get you through childhood, puberty, romance, marriage, and divorce, and it will see you through old age.” We can encourage women to see sexual play and pleasure flexibly, as a lifelong process of self-knowledge and discovery.

Basic Tips for Patients

• More “fiction and friction,” as coined by sex therapist Barry McCarthy, is necessary. As bodies age, more stimulation, both mental and physical, is necessary and often requires more direct physical stimulation of genitals.
• More time: Everything seems to take more time as we age; sex is no different.
• Incontinence concerns can be addressed by open communication and collaboration with partners, and being prepared with waterproof pads for the bed and towels.
• Ask about medical intervention–related sexual side effects. A wide range of medications can decrease desire and arousal and delay orgasm. If a change in sexual function occurred with starting a medication, it may be worthwhile investigating alternatives or, if possible, discontinuing a medication. Surgical and procedural changes to the anatomy also can affect sexual function. While correction may be impossible once certain changes have occurred, clinicians can provide patients with both validation about the problem and hope that, for the most part, with creativity and flexibility, pleasurable sexual experience is possible in all bodies.

Pebble M. Kranz, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.

“She’s, like, 90 years old. I’m not going to ask her about sex!” says the cringing resident. “She’s older than my grandmother!”

Well, my young friend, our 80- and 90-year-old patients were in their 20s and 30s in the 1960s. You can bet some of them were pretty groovy! A Swedish study of septuagenarians revealed a shift in sexual attitudes: from 5% of 70-year-old women in the 1970s citing sex as a positive aspect of life, to 78% in 2000. Those of us in practice who came of age during the AIDS era and alongside the purity movement of the 1990s can be more sexually reserved than our grandparents. We might need to catch up. In fact, in another study, 82% of 97-year-old female participants felt that being asked about their sexuality in healthcare settings was positive.

While changes do occur in sexual physiology and behavior with age, satisfying sexual engagement may be an important factor in the general well-being and overall health of older women. Given the high prevalence of dementia among this population, it may be useful to know that positive sexual expression may delay cognitive decline. We also have evidence that sexual satisfaction is important for relational health, which in turn helps predict physical health.

Shed the Dysfunction Mindset

Our medical bias has been that a fulfilling sexual life requires a hard penis and a lubricated vagina. This view of the range of healthy and satisfying sexual expression is lamentably limited. Older adults may have more problems with physiologic arousal in the form of more erectile dysfunction and decreased vaginal lubrication, but these issues may lead to partnerships in which there is less insertive/receiving sexual play and more oral sex, cuddling, kissing, and other forms of partnered sexual play. Older adults may focus less on performance and more on intimacy. In fact, as heterosexual couples encounter these physiologic changes, their sexual behavior may begin to focus more attention to female pleasure. Good news for older women!

As described by Dutch sexuality and aging expert Woet Gianotten, MD, older adults have a lot going for them in their sex lives. Many are retired with more time available, less work stress, greater comfort and familiarity with their partners, and less insecurity about their bodies.

Common Concerns

Many older adults are having satisfying sexual play and are less bothered by changes in their sexual physiology. Still, for those who aren’t happy with their sex lives, clinicians must be ready to address these concerns.

Nancy, an 87-year-old patient whose husband died 5 years ago after 59 years of marriage, has just met someone new. When they are intimate physically, she’s not feeling aroused in the way she recalls, and wonders, Where have my orgasms gone?

A host of physical changes among older women can affect the sexual experience, including the vulvovaginal changes of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), incontinence, uterine prolapse, diminished sensation, and reduced overall mobility. Although aging is responsible for some of these changes, chronic diseases and medical treatments can play an even larger role.

GSM is a major contributor to sexual pain, genital irritation, and reduced arousal and orgasm. It’s crazy that we don’t ask about and treat GSM. Beyond the sexual impact, the vaginal dryness of GSM can contribute to urinary tract infections, which can lead to sepsis and even death! Vaginal estrogens and other GSM treatments are safe and effective in the vast majority of women. Vaginal moisturizers, vaginal dilators, and increasing genital blood flow also help improve GSM.

Vaginal dilators are used in the management of vaginal stenosis, when the vaginal skin has contracted as a result of GSM or pelvic radiation to treat cancer. Dilators are also used to treat some forms of high-tone pelvic floor dysfunction. For expert guidance and coaching on the use of dilators, seek out sexual medicine specialists and pelvic floor physical therapists. Pelvic floor physical therapy is important in the management of a wide range of sexual concerns, from reduced arousal and orgasm to almost any kind of sexual pain.

For postmenopausal women who are distressed by hypoactive sexual desire disorder, transdermal low-dose testosterone may be considered when other causes of low libido have been ruled out.

Due to changes in nerve fiber sensitivity over time, older age is an ideal phase of life to incorporate higher-intensity vibration and other sexual devices into solo and partner sex. Mobility limitations and joint pain can be addressed with devices designed specifically for this purpose or with the use of pillows and other supports.

As Betty Dodson, a staunch advocate for women’s pleasure until her death in 2020 at 91, wisely said, “Masturbation will get you through childhood, puberty, romance, marriage, and divorce, and it will see you through old age.” We can encourage women to see sexual play and pleasure flexibly, as a lifelong process of self-knowledge and discovery.

Basic Tips for Patients

• More “fiction and friction,” as coined by sex therapist Barry McCarthy, is necessary. As bodies age, more stimulation, both mental and physical, is necessary and often requires more direct physical stimulation of genitals.
• More time: Everything seems to take more time as we age; sex is no different.
• Incontinence concerns can be addressed by open communication and collaboration with partners, and being prepared with waterproof pads for the bed and towels.
• Ask about medical intervention–related sexual side effects. A wide range of medications can decrease desire and arousal and delay orgasm. If a change in sexual function occurred with starting a medication, it may be worthwhile investigating alternatives or, if possible, discontinuing a medication. Surgical and procedural changes to the anatomy also can affect sexual function. While correction may be impossible once certain changes have occurred, clinicians can provide patients with both validation about the problem and hope that, for the most part, with creativity and flexibility, pleasurable sexual experience is possible in all bodies.

Pebble M. Kranz, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.