FRIDAY, Nov. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines for treating movement problems in people in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease have been updated. The new treatment recommendations from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) focus on dopaminergic medications, which increase dopamine levels or mimic dopamine effects. Parkinson’s is aContinue Reading

THURSDAY, Nov. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Here’s some comforting news for people who struggle with inflammatory bowel disease and worry that the immune-suppressing drugs they must take might blunt their response to COVID-19 vaccines: New research finds vaccination triggers a strong immune reaction in these patients. “At eight weeks,Continue Reading

THURSDAY, Nov. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An experimental gene therapy to boost the effectiveness of the Parkinson’s drug levodopa yielded promising results in mice, researchers report. As the loss of dopamine-releasing neurons advances in late-stage Parkinson’s, levodopa is less able to ease movement problems caused by the disease, whichContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Transplant patients and certain other folks may need four shots of COVID-19 vaccine for optimal protection, new research suggests. People with weakened immune systems who’ve received both doses of two-dose COVID-19 vaccines aren’t adequately protected against severe illness. They should be given aContinue Reading

THURSDAY, Oct. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Nine of 10 patients with so-called “bubble boy” immune disease who received gene therapy about a decade ago are still disease-free, researchers report. The gene therapy was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to treat the rare and deadly immuneContinue Reading

MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A study of millions of people vaccinated against COVID-19 has identified those at greatest risk of hospitalization and death after breakthrough infection. The most vulnerable are those who are immunosuppressed from chemotherapy, a recent bone marrow or solid organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS. AlsoContinue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Researchers hoped to show that the natural antioxidant urate could delay Parkinson’s disease progression, but a study completed at Massachusetts General Hospital dashed those expectations. The trial enrolled nearly 300 individuals recently diagnosed with early Parkinson’s disease, which affects the body’s motor system.Continue Reading

THURSDAY, Sept. 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Movement can be very difficult for people with Parkinson’s disease, as shaking and stiffness play havoc with balance, coordination and gait. There are many different tricks Parkinson’s patients can use to improve their walking and avoid injury from a bad tumble — butContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8, 2021 (HealthDay News) — People with HIV have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study warns, especially if the virus isn’t well-controlled. Sudden cardiac death occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating, usually due to an abrupt electrical malfunction. “People living with HIV areContinue Reading

TUESDAY, Sept. 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An alliance of leading U.S. cancer centers has updated guidance about COVID-19 vaccine boosters for cancer patients and the people around them. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s new recommendations are intended for health care providers. “COVID-19 can be very dangerous, especially for peopleContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 1, 2021 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 vaccines trigger antibody production in most people who have weakened immune systems, but a new study reveals that their responses are weaker than in healthy people. “Some of our patients have been hesitant about getting vaccinated, which is unfortunate because they areContinue Reading