acute

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden completed a study that indicates that increased levels of the cytokine interleukin-26 (IL-26) in blood is a potential biomarker for severe COVID-19.Scientists have shown that patients with acute <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>COVID-19</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>First identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19, or Coronavirus disease 2019, (which was originally…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.Tami Chappell | ReutersThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now investigating 180 cases of children who suddenly developed severe hepatitis across 36 states and territories, an increase of 71 cases since the public health agency's last update earlier this month.The CDC, in a statement Wednesday, said the vast majority are not new cases of hepatitis. Rather, the number of patients under investigation have increased as the…

According to the findings of a new study, women instructed to embrace their romantic partner prior to undergoing a stressful experience had a lower biological stress response, compared to women who did not embrace their partner. However, this effect was not seen for men.Women who embraced their romantic partner subsequently had lower stress-induced cortisol response. But partner embrace did not buffer the response to stress for men.Women instructed to embrace their romantic partner prior to undergoing a stressful…

Inflammation is a core component of pain. But early inflammatory responses may protect against acute pain becoming chronic, according to an intriguing study of nearly 100 patients with low back pain.  At first glance, the study, which also included mouse models of persistent pain and a population-level analysis of painkiller use, seemingly goes against mounds of evidence indicating that inflammation drives widespread chronic pain.But its focus is on acute inflammation – the first wave of immune cells led by neutrophils,…

The United Nations defines "acute food insecurity" as when a person's inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger. The number of people facing hunger rose to 193 million last year as conflict, climate change and economic crises ravaged people's livelihoods, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday.…