Weekly Health News Roundup Feb 14 – Feb 20, psoriasis, chronic kidney disease, celiac disease, and chronic hives

In case you’ve missed our updates on what has been happening in the world of health and medicine these days, here’s our weekly health news overview of new findings pertaining to psoriasis, chronic kidney disease (CKD), celiac disease, and chronic hives. New, unexpected associations between different conditions have been uncovered – it was established that psoriasis is an independent risk factor for CKD, urticaria is linked to penicillin allergy, and endometriosis affects fertility and pregnancy outcomes. New research is set forth to explore the abnormal eating habit in dementia. And, if you’re planning to switch to gluten-free diet, here’s a perk: it can help to relieve brain fog in celiac disease.

Psoriasis is a chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk factor independent of diabetes and heart disease: Study

Psoriasis is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it’s found to be independent of diabetes and heart disease, which are other known risk factors for CKD. The researchers recommend close monitoring of kidney problems in kidney patients who have three percent or more of their body affected by psoriasis, a skin condition. Detecting kidney problem early on and beginning treatment right away can prevent it from developing into chronic kidney disease.

Psoriasis affects the skin and the joints, and is prevalent in two to four percent of the general population. Other research has shown links between psoriasis and diabetes and heart disease, while studies on psoriasis and kidney disease have been small and offered conflicting results.

A research team from Philadelphia decided to compare the risk of chronic kidney disease in patients with and without psoriasis. Continue reading…

Gluten-free diet can relieve brain fog in celiac disease patients

A gluten-free diet can relieve brain fog in celiac disease patients. Common symptoms of celiac disease include abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and cramping, but another symptom, which is often overlooked, is brain fog.

When a person experiences brain fog, they feel fatigued and tired, they may fumble during conversations, their thoughts may appear slower, and they lack creativity. If severe, a person may even completely mess up things that are very familiar to them, for example, how to get home from a destination.

Because brain fog in celiac disease is not a commonly discussed symptom, it often goes overlooked. And yet, many celiac patients report brain fog being lifted once they go gluten free. Continue reading…

Chronic hives (urticaria) and penicillin allergy have a strong association: Study

Chronic hives (urticaria) and penicillin allergy have a strong association, according to research. The study found that those living with a penicillin allergy are three times more likely to suffer from chronic hives, compared to the general population.

The researchers examined medical records of 11,143 patients, where 220 were identified as having self-reported penicillin allergy and chronic hives. Lead author Susanna Silverman said, “We wanted to know if there was a correlation between self-reported penicillin allergy and chronic urticaria. We found higher than expected incidence compared to the general population, and we wondered if some patients who believed they had penicillin allergy might actually have chronic urticaria.”

Allergist and study author Andrea Apter added, “It’s important for anyone who thinks they have a penicillin allergy to be tested by an allergist. If testing finds that someone with chronic urticaria and self-reported penicillin allergy isn’t allergic to penicillin, it may be that their hives are simply due to chronic urticaria, or they may be more prone to rashes and hives throughout their lives, possibly due to increased skin sensitivity.” Continue reading…

In frontotemporal dementia (FTD), abnormal eating is influenced by neural networks

In frontotemporal dementia (FTD), abnormal eating is influenced by neural networks. An increase in appetite (hyperphagia) is commonly seen in frontotemporal dementia patients, and researchers have found that that disassociated neural networks are responsible for this change in eating habits.

Atrophy in the cingulate cortices, thalami, and cerebellum was observed on MRI in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia that was associated with an increase in caloric intake.

The investigators of the study wrote, “An understanding of the networks that control this eating behavior offers opportunities for targeted treatments that can modify eating behavior, metabolic abnormalities, and disease progression, and provides insights into structures that control eating behavior in healthy individuals.” Continue reading…

Endometriosis increases risk of pregnancy complications, affects fertility in women

Endometriosis increases the risk of pregnancy complications and affects fertility in women. Study author Dr. Lucky Saraswat said, “These results indicate that endometriosis predisposes women to an increased risk of early pregnancy loss and later pregnancy complications.”

The nationwide cohort study examined discharge data from all across Scotland. Records of women with and without a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis were crosslinked to their maternity records to evaluate pregnancy outcomes. The analysis included 14,655 women whose medical records were followed up for up to 30 years. Continue reading…