Friday, May 20, 2022 (San Diego, U.S.)—Research from the University of California released in Clinical Infectious Diseases demonstrates that ingestible sensor-enabled Truvada®, taken as pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection (PrEP), can reveal patterns of medication taking behavior that may put persons at risk of prophylactic failure. The FDA-approved system, consisting of an ingestible sensor combined with Truvada®, a wearable patch, and paired mobile device, was highly accurate and captured individual adherence behavior patterns in real-time. It distinguished persons with a strong daily habit of medication taking and high oral PrEP adherence from those with adherence patterns that may put them at risk of PrEP failure. According to the Authors this individualized information may empower patients towards deeper self-insight and allow healthy, compassionate discussions with their physicians around events in their lives associated with periods of missed doses or high adherence. The Authors propose this information may be useful to help patient navigate PrEP choices, creating opportunities that support the therapeutic relationship and allow physicians to be ‘servants of their Art’ guiding patients through successful PrEP prophylaxis over time.

Levels of alcohol consumption currently considered safe by some countries are linked with development of heart failure, according to research presented at Heart Failure 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “This study adds to the body of evidence that a more cautious approach to alcohol consumption is needed,” said study author Dr. Bethany Wong of St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. “To minimise the risk of alcohol causing harm to the heart, if you don’t drink, don’t start. If you do drink, limit your weekly consumption to less than one bottle of wine or less than three-and-a-half 500 ml cans of 4.5% beer.”

Liver transplants from drug overdose donors rose significantly in the pandemic’s first year, helping keep the number of liver transplants in the U.S. stable despite COVID-19 disruptions, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2022.

A taste adaptation intervention lowers salt intake and increases enjoyment of a sodium restricted diet in patients with hypertension, according to a small study presented at ACNAP-EuroHeartCare Congress 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “One of the major barriers to sticking to a low salt diet is that people do not like the taste, but few studies have addressed this issue,” said study author Professor Misook Chung of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, US. “Our pilot study in patients with high blood pressure shows that it is possible to change taste perception and learn to like food with less salt.”

Today during the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2022 Scientific Sessions in Atlanta, SCAI President Sunil V. Rao, MD, FSCAI, announced the establishment of the SCAI Early Career Research Grants.

Severe COVID-19 disease affects thyroid function through a variety of mechanisms according to a new study from Dr. Ilaria Muller and colleagues from the University of Milan, Italy. The study followed patients with thyroid dysfunction correlated to COVID-19 disease for one year, to better characterise such thyroid involvement and to follow its evolution over time. During moderate-to-severe COVID-19 disease the occurrence of thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) plays an important role in thyroid dysfunction, in addition to other well-known mechanisms mainly acting on the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis. The hormone imbalance is usually mild but increases in severe cases of COVID-19. Their study will be presented during the 24th European Congress of Endocrinology on 23 May 2022 in Milan, Italy.

New evidence shows that people who have undergone Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy report high grades of satisfaction with both the physical and psychological effects. A new study on this topic, carried out by researchers in Portugal, will be presented today (21 May 2022) at the 24th European Congress of Endocrinology in Milan, Italy.