New UCLA-led research finds that Paxlovid does not significantly reduce COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality among vaccinated older adults. The study suggests that Paxlovid's potential effect on COVID-19 hospitalization in vaccinated older adults is four times weaker than originally reported.
A new study reveals US hospital occupancy has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, driven mainly by a 16% reduction in staffed hospital beds. This could lead to a bed shortage as early as 2032, posing significant risks to patient safety and mortality rates.
A study found that emergency clinician prescribing of buprenorphine increased in California, leading to more patients starting treatment for opioid use disorder. The efforts were successful in getting patients started, with at least one in three filling a second prescription within 40 days.
Researchers have identified changes in brain rhythms that indicate seizure activity in Alzheimer's patients. High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) occur at rates two to three times higher in Alzheimer's patients than in cognitively normal individuals.
A recent study found that telehealth is closing the care gap for people with substance use disorder in rural areas, but those covered by Medicaid managed care have lower access to this treatment. Rural individuals experienced the greatest overall increase in substance use disorder treatment among all populations studied.
Researchers discovered that mismatch repair genes are critical in eliciting damages to neurons vulnerable to Huntington's disease, triggering downstream pathologies and motor impairment. Targeting these genes may offer novel therapeutic approaches, including improving locomotor and gait deficits and reducing neuronal cell death.
Researchers found a clear causal relationship between gut microbiota and vagal nerve activity in mice. Introducing gut bacteria restored vagal activity, while antibiotics had no impact on germ-free mice. The study identified specific metabolites produced by the gut microbiome that activate the vagus nerve.
A recent study by UCLA researchers has discovered high amounts of bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate (BTMPS) in illicitly sold fentanyl. BTMPS is not approved for human consumption and has been linked to serious health effects such as cardiotoxicity and ocular damage.
A pilot study will explore whether a ketogenic diet helps stabilize mood symptoms in teens and young adults with bipolar disorder. Preliminary research suggests improvements in mood and executive function among older adults.
The Neuro-Oncology Translational Research Training Program aims to bridge laboratory discoveries and clinical applications in neuro-oncology, targeting glioblastoma and brain metastases. The program provides predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees with cutting-edge lab experience and mentorship across multiple disciplines.
The Human Virome Characterization Center at UCLA will investigate the diversity of viruses naturally inhabiting the human body along the oral-gut-brain axis. The center's discovery team will characterize virome richness, diversity, and structure in healthy individuals across different age groups and ethnic backgrounds.
A recent study published in Lancet Oncology reveals a significant link between early side effects from radiation therapy for prostate cancer and long-term complications. Men who experience moderate acute urinary or bowel side effects during treatment are nearly twice as likely to develop late urinary or bowel issues, respectively. This...
The D-CARE study found no differences in patient behavioral symptoms or caregiver strain between health system and community-based care approaches. However, comprehensive care improved caregiver self-efficacy, which remained consistent throughout the 18-month period.
A new study highlights the link between socioeconomic disadvantage and poorer survival rates after heart transplantation in Medicaid-insured patients. The research found that these patients had a higher likelihood of developing cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), a condition affecting transplanted hearts and limiting long-term survival.
A study suggests targeting endocan, a protein produced by endothelial cells in blood vessels, could slow tumor growth and make glioblastoma more vulnerable to existing treatments. The discovery may lead to new strategies to combat glioblastoma, which has an average lifespan of just 12-15 months.
The PEERS Clinic at UCLA offers a 20-week dating program called PEERS for Dating, aiming to demystify social rules and empower participants to form lasting connections. Participants will learn practical strategies for initiating and maintaining romantic relationships with support from trained coaches.
A new study found that nearly half of high-risk prostate cancer patients have metastatic disease when evaluated with advanced PSMA-PET imaging, suggesting traditional imaging may underestimate cancer spread. This challenge the interpretation of previous studies like EMBARK trial, and support the inclusion of PSMA-PET for patient select...
A new study reveals multilingualism enhances executive function skills, including focus, understanding perspectives, communication, and reduces repetitive behaviors in both autistic and non-autistic children. Parents of multilingual households report stronger overall executive function compared to mono-lingual households.
A new study found that emergency department physicians differ in their likelihood of hospitalizing patients, with those who admit more patients being discharged sooner but not less likely to die. The study suggests that differences in physician decision-making drive these variations, rather than patient health.
The study highlights the need for targeted incentives to expand hospital-at-home programs to smaller, rural, and non-teaching hospitals. The research found that adoption of these programs remains concentrated among larger, urban, not-for-profit, and academic hospitals.
A new UCLA Health study found that adding genetic testing to the evaluation of pediatric patients with neurodevelopmental disorders led to more individualized care, including changes in medication, referrals to clinical trials or specialists, and surveillance for potential medical issues.
A new blood-based biomarker, placental growth factor (PlGF), has been identified as a potential tool for detecting early brain changes associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. Elevated PlGF levels were found to be linked to increased vascular permeability, leading to white matter injury and subsequent cognitive decline.
A new study found significant disparities in the use of obesity-management medications among different racial and ethnic groups. People of Asian, Black, and Hispanic descent were significantly less likely to use these medications compared to whites, even after adjusting for income, education, health insurance coverage, and clinical need.
Worsening heat waves exacerbate symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and dementia due to impaired sweating and blood flow. Doctors can take proactive steps by regularly screening for social isolation, providing resources, and utilizing telemedicine to monitor high-risk patients.
A new study found that a low omega-6, high omega-3 diet with fish oil supplements significantly reduced prostate cancer cell proliferation in men. The findings suggest that dietary changes could potentially delay or prevent the need for more aggressive treatments.
Researchers at UCLA Health presented several breakthroughs at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, including improved survival rates for advanced breast cancer patients who receive trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), a novel ADC. Additionally, new genomic testing and circulating tumor DNA analysis may help identify high-risk patients a...
Dr. Aditya Bardia's appointment as Editor-in-Chief of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment reflects his expertise in targeted therapies and innovative research. He aims to foster innovation and disseminate knowledge benefiting patients and the scientific community through this journal.
Dr. Christopher Seet has received a $2.9 million R37 MERIT Award from the National Cancer Institute to develop innovative T cell therapies for cancer. The grant will support research into iPSC-derived T cells, which can be engineered for enhanced tumor-fighting capabilities.
A new framework developed by UCLA researchers suggests that genetic data from large libraries of sequenced human genomes can improve the predictive power of genetics in determining how well a patient will respond to commonly prescribed medications and the severity of any side effects. The study, which analyzed data from over 342,000 pe...
A review paper suggests that MDMA-assisted therapy can benefit military personnel with traumatic brain injuries, improving emotional and cognitive challenges. The drug may facilitate social connections, increased self-esteem, and neural plasticity, leading to improved treatment outcomes.
A wearable electrical nerve stimulation device has been shown to provide significant relief from long COVID symptoms such as pain and fatigue. Researchers found that the high-dose TENS group experienced notable improvements in pain relief and walking ability.
A new study from UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center introduces a combined genetic and functional profiling approach to predict how glioblastoma will respond to therapy. The approach helps identify new ways to target and treat the tumors more effectively, including using an experimental drug called ABBV-155.
A new UCLA study categorizes people with chronic liver disease into four unique risk groups based on barriers to outpatient care, increasing the likelihood of hospitalization. The study highlights the need for interventions aimed at reducing avoidable hospitalizations among the highest-risk individuals.
Researchers at UCLA discovered that protein netrin1 limits BMP signaling to specific regions of the spinal cord, crucial for sensory neuron development. This finding reshapes our understanding of complex spinal circuits and could inform future therapeutic strategies for spinal cord repair.
Patients receiving MRI-guided SBRT experienced significantly fewer urinary and bowel side effects compared to CT-guided treatment. MRI guidance also correlated with improved scores on specific quality-of-life measures, including bowel function and sexual health.
Researchers at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have shown that combining pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, with standard chemotherapy can improve treatment outcomes for patients with advanced small cell bladder cancer and small cell/neuroendocrine prostate cancer. The study found that the combination treatment resul...
A new initiative, CAL-PALS, aims to expand access to life-saving lung cancer screening for marginalized groups in Los Angeles County. The program will engage physicians and staff to create system-level changes increasing access to high-quality services.
A new study by UCLA Health reveals that standard medical record surveillance methods miss youth with suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, boys, and Black and Hispanic youths. Machine learning algorithms improved detection rates when incorporating additional data from visit notes.
Researchers at UCLA Health found an association between childhood attention problems and increased psychosis risk, with genetic variants acting as a middleman. The study used data from over 10,000 children to explore the relationship between attention span variability and psychotic-like symptoms.
Researchers at UCLA have identified the protein GPNMB as a critical regulator in the heart's healing process after a heart attack. GPNMB promotes heart repair by binding to receptor GPR39, triggering a cascade of signals that limit scarring and improve cardiac function.
Scientists at UCLA have engineered an experimental therapy that shows promise in enhancing heart repair following a heart attack, preventing the onset of heart failure. The new single-dose therapy targets the protein ENPP1, which is responsible for increasing inflammation and scar tissue formation.
The UCLA Urology department has been awarded $6 million to continue the IMPACT program, providing comprehensive prostate cancer treatment for underinsured and uninsured Californians. The program has helped over 2,300 men receive treatment services since its inception.
A new study suggests that introducing a smaller vial size for the Alzheimer's drug lecanemab could reduce waste by 74% and save Medicare up to $336 million per year. This is due to the high amount of unused medication being discarded, with each patient often receiving a dose lower than the available vial sizes.
A new study found that motor delay and low muscle tone were common signs of an underlying genetic diagnosis in children with neurodevelopment disorders. The research suggests that these early neurodevelopmental symptoms can benefit both patients' families and doctors by identifying the need for genetic testing.
A UCLA-led study has mapped DNA modification in the developing human brain, shedding light on how gene regulation evolves and shapes lifelong mental health. The research provides new insights into early brain development and its connection to neuropsychiatric conditions like schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder.
A new study found that common breast cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, can increase expression of aging markers in breast cancer survivors. The study suggests that these treatments can have a more extensive impact on the body than previously thought, leading to accelerated biological aging.
A study by researchers at UCLA found that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian adolescents are more likely to be tested for drugs and alcohol than white adolescents at pediatric trauma centers. The study suggests that clinician biases may contribute to these disparities.
A new non-invasive imaging technique has been shown to accurately detect clear-cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer. The technique uses a monoclonal antibody drug that targets the protein CA9, highly expressed in up to 95% of clear cell kidney cancers.
Researchers created a Comorbid Operative Risk Evaluation (CORE) score to better predict post-surgery mortality. The model accounts for pre-existing chronic illnesses and aims to improve analysis of surgical outcomes using large databases.
A global study highlights the life-saving impact of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) in heart failure patients, particularly those with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The study estimates that optimal implementation could save over 1 million lives per year, with significant regional disparities to address.