Nature: Influenza and SARS‑CoV‑2 can awaken dormant breast cancer cells and trigger lung metastasis
Posted inClinical Updates Infectious Diseases news Oncology Specialties

Nature: Influenza and SARS‑CoV‑2 can awaken dormant breast cancer cells and trigger lung metastasis

A Nature paper shows influenza and SARS‑CoV‑2 lung infections can reactivate dormant disseminated breast cancer cells (DCCs) via IL‑6 and CD4+ T‑cell–mediated mechanisms, with concordant human data linking SARS‑CoV‑2 infection to higher cancer‑related mortality and pulmonary metastasis risk.
Metformin and ‘Anti‑Aging’: Promising Mechanisms but Mixed Clinical Evidence — What Recent Trials Tell Us
Posted inClinical Updates Family Medicine & Nutrition Internal Medicine news Specialties

Metformin and ‘Anti‑Aging’: Promising Mechanisms but Mixed Clinical Evidence — What Recent Trials Tell Us

Recent randomized and mechanistic studies provide a nuanced view: metformin shows plausible anti‑aging mechanisms and microbiome‑linked cognitive associations, but randomized trials report no clear anti‑cancer or anti‑senescence effects in humans to date.
Decoding High‑Risk Enrollment in TWILIGHT: How Risk Feature Burden Shapes Ischemic and Bleeding Outcomes and the Consistent Benefit of Ticagrelor Monotherapy
Posted inCardiology Clinical Updates news Specialties

Decoding High‑Risk Enrollment in TWILIGHT: How Risk Feature Burden Shapes Ischemic and Bleeding Outcomes and the Consistent Benefit of Ticagrelor Monotherapy

Posthoc analysis of TWILIGHT shows that ischemic risk rises with the number of high‑risk features, bleeding does not, and ticagrelor monotherapy after 3 months reduces bleeding versus ticagrelor plus aspirin without increasing ischemic events across risk strata.
Simvastatin Added to Escitalopram in Obese Patients With Major Depression: A Rigorous RCT Shows No Antidepressant Benefit Despite Improved Cardiometabolic Markers
Posted inCardiology Clinical Updates Diabetes & Endocrinology news Psychiatry Specialties

Simvastatin Added to Escitalopram in Obese Patients With Major Depression: A Rigorous RCT Shows No Antidepressant Benefit Despite Improved Cardiometabolic Markers

A multicenter double-blind RCT (n=160) found that 12 weeks of simvastatin (40 mg) added to escitalopram did not improve depressive symptoms versus placebo, although LDL, total cholesterol, and CRP were reduced.
Therapist-Guided Internet CBT Cuts Bulimia Episodes: A Japanese Randomized Trial with Promising Clinical Implications
Posted inClinical Updates Gastroenterology news Psychiatry Specialties

Therapist-Guided Internet CBT Cuts Bulimia Episodes: A Japanese Randomized Trial with Promising Clinical Implications

A multicenter randomized trial in Japan found that a 12-week therapist-guided internet-based CBT program significantly reduced weekly bingeing and compensatory episodes in women with bulimia nervosa versus usual care (adjusted mean difference 9.84 episodes; Cohen d 0.73).
Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Improve Postprandial Vascular Function and Platelet Reactivity: Acute Crossover Trial Highlights Metabolites Linked to Benefit
Posted inCardiology Clinical Updates Family Medicine & Nutrition news Specialties

Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Improve Postprandial Vascular Function and Platelet Reactivity: Acute Crossover Trial Highlights Metabolites Linked to Benefit

In a randomized, double‑blind crossover trial, a 200 mL anthocyanin‑rich blackcurrant beverage (≈711 mg anthocyanins) taken with a high‑fat meal improved flow‑mediated dilation and reduced agonist‑induced platelet aggregation and IL‑8 over 6 hours in healthy middle‑aged adults; specific circulating phenolic metabolites correlated with the responses.