News from NYU Langone Health
Study: Just One Extra Hour Of Exercise Each Week Can Reduce Your Risk For Common Heart Condition. (SciTech Daily)
SciTech Daily (12/10) A study from NYU Langone Health, using Fitbit data from over 6,000 individuals, found that adding an extra hour of physical activity weekly can reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation by 11%, with those engaging in 2.5 to 5 hours of exercise seeing a 60% reduction, while more than 5 hours results in a 65% reduction; Sean P. Heffron, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, said, “Our findings make clear that you do not need to start running marathons to help prevent atrial fibrillation and other forms of heart disease,” and Souptik Barua, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Precision Medicine, said, “These results highlight the value of Fitbits and similar monitors in medical research.”
NYU Langone Health Expands GI Leadership With New Hires. (Becker's ASC Review)
Becker’s ASC Review (12/10) NYU Langone Health has expanded its gastroenterology leadership team with the appointment of Jordan E. Axelrad, MD, MPH, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center; Dr. Axelrad is recognized for his research on IBD’s connections with gut microbiome health, mucosal immunology, infections, and cancer risk, and recently received the 2024 Sherman Emerging Leader Prize, while Dr. Moreira brings extensive expertise in minimally invasive and robotically assisted procedures for colorectal conditions, including cancer and IBD.
What To Know About Vagus Nerve Stimulation For IBD. (TIME)
TIME (12/10) Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is conducting a clinical trial on vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); this non-invasive treatment, though not FDA-approved for IBD, has shown promise in reducing inflammation by increasing acetylcholine release, according to Jordan E. Axelrad, MD, MPH, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, who said that it “interacts with immune cells and reduces inflammatory cytokines.”
Newsweek Horizons Podcast Examines The Future Of Plastics. (Newsweek)
Newsweek (12/10) Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, the Jim G. Hendrick, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, and professor, Department of Population Health, participated in a Newsweek Horizons podcast panel discussing strategies to address plastic waste, where he joined experts, including Erin Simon of the World Wildlife Fund and Jonathan Quinn of the U.S. Plastics Pact, who stressed that reducing global plastic production is critical, while the U.N.’s recent negotiations in Busan, South Korea, showed progress toward limiting plastic production and addressing toxic chemicals, despite not reaching a treaty.
Also reporting is WJLA-TV Washington (12/10).
Late-Stage Breast Cancer Is Rising, Especially Among Black Women. (ABC News)
ABC News (12/10) A study published in the journal Radiology reveals that late-stage breast cancer diagnoses have increased across all racial and ethnic groups, with Black women experiencing advanced diagnoses 55% more frequently than white women; Esther Zusstone, MD, resident, Department of Radiology, contributed to the ABC News Medical Unit’s coverage, which underscores the importance of increasing screening rates, expanding healthcare access, and improving equity in care to reverse the trend of rising late-stage diagnoses.
This “Super Sport” Might Be The Healthiest Game Ever Invented. (Charleston (SC) Post and Courier)
In an article published in The Charleston (SC) Post and Courier (12/10), Brian W. Hainline, MD, clinical professor, Department of Neurology, writes that tennis is the most beneficial sport for longevity, adding 9.7 years to a player’s life compared to a sedentary lifestyle. He said tennis offers significant health advantages, such as reducing cardiovascular disease mortality by 56% and all-cause mortality by 47%, and is accessible to people of all ages.
Opioid Task Force Hosts Methadone Advocates To Speak On Stigma, Proposed Treatment Expansion. (Greenfield (MA) Recorder)
The Greenfield (MA) Recorder (12/5) Noa Krawczyk, PhD, assistant professor, Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, “said bills like the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, in March 2023, aim to destigmatize methadone treatment and instead, treat it similarly to any other medical treatment,” adding that “the overarching goal of” The National Coalition to Liberate Methadone “and a leading North Star in terms of everything that goes into methadone treatment, is the practice of normalizing methadone treatment as health care.”
Radiologists Chart ‘Alarming’ Uptick In Late-Stage Breast Cancer Diagnoses Across All Age Groups (Radiology Business Journal)
Radiology Business Journal (12/10) Radiologists have reported a significant rise in late-stage breast cancer diagnoses across all age groups, with the largest annual increase from 2004 to 2021 among women aged 20-39 at 2.9%, according to a study published in Radiology; further insights were provided by Eric Kim, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Radiology, and Linda Moy, MD, professor, Department of Radiology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, who called for improved screening and intervention efforts.
EPA To Ban TCE, Limit PCE Use. (NBC News Now-2)
NBC News (12/10) The EPA plans to ban TCE use due to health risks such as liver and kidney cancer. PCE use will be limited to industries with worker protections; Natalie E. Azar, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, emphasized the importance of monitoring exposure, particularly near industrial sites, and noted the challenges in decontaminating affected areas.
Potential Artificial Red Dye Ban: Products That Could Be Affected. (New York Post)
The New York Post (12/10) The FDA is considering a petition to ban artificial red dye 3, which is used in nearly 3,000 food products including candies, cereals, and certain medications, due to its links to cancer and thyroid tumors in animals, and hyperactivity in children, with Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation questioning its use, saying, “We don’t know the extent of” how bad it is for you, “but it’s not good for you.”
Also reporting is Fox Business (12/9).
False Equivalencies: The Danger Of Treating All Information Equally. (Medium)
Medium (12/10) Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor, Department of Population Health, Division of Medical Ethics, said that trust in science should be based on understanding the scientific process, not just on specific experts or truths, and emphasized the need for scientists to communicate their work using accessible language and local engagement to rebuild public confidence, amid concerns over the politicization of science and the spread of misinformation on platforms like X, formerly Twitter, where falsehoods can overshadow facts, as demonstrated by a New York Times analysis of Elon Musk’s posts.
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island
The 14 Very Best Ergonomic Office Chairs. (The Strategist)
The Strategist (12/10) Marc Agulnick, MD, adjunct assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, said that prolonged sitting in unnatural positions can lead to spinal issues, as discussed in The Strategist’s guide on ergonomic office chairs, which features expert recommendations for selecting chairs that support healthy posture and minimize discomfort.
