MedEvidence Articles

In this episode, we look at the need for cheap, accurate screening tools for common diseases. To that end, we take the example of fatty liver disease. We review the "gold standard" diagnostic tool, liver biopsy, and why that shouldn't be the first line of detection for a fatty liver. We review some standard methods of screening before diving into transient elastography, also known as FibroScan. We look at what this method is, why it may be preferable to an MRI or CT scan, and how clinical researchers use transient elastography in trials.Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, guest author Maya Yanchuck explores the ins and outs of PCOS. We review what the condition is, symptoms, complications, and what is happening in the body. Finally, we look at treatments, from mental health to medicaitons.Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, written by guest author Christy Kestner, we explore the neuroscience of misinformation. We look inot what misinformation is, what happens inside the brain when we encounter misinformation, why misinformation can be so hard to correct, and some of the real-life consequences with misinformation - especialyl in relation to health. We close by discussing how we can combat misinformation, from correcting false ideas to protecting against inflammatory, misleading informaiton found online.References:Bragazzi NL, Garbarino S. Understanding and combating misinformation: An evolutionary perspective. JMIR infodemiology. 2024 Dec 27;4(1):e65521. https://doi.org/10.2196/65521Piksa M, Noworyta K, Gundersen A, Kunst J, Morzy M, Piasecki J, Rygula R. The impact of confirmation bias awareness on mitigating susceptibility to misinformation. Frontiers in Public Health. 2024 Oct 15;12:1414864. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1414864Hassan A, Barber SJ. The effects of repetition frequency on the illusory truth effect. Cognitive research: principles and implications. 2021 May 13;6(1):38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00301-5Schultz W. Dopamine reward prediction error coding. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience. 2016 Mar 31;18(1):23-32. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2016.18.1/wschultzChau LS, Galvez R. Amygdala's involvement in facilitating associative learning-induced plasticity: a promiscuous role for the amygdala in memory acquisition. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience. 2012 Oct 10;6:92. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2012.00092Vellani V, Zheng S, Ercelik D, Sharot T. The illusory truth effect leads to the spread of misinformation. Cognition. 2023 Jul 1;236:105421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105421Chan MP, Jones CR, Hall Jamieson K, Albarracín D. Debunking: A meta-analysis of the psychological efficacy of messages countering misinformation. Psychological science. 2017 Nov;28(11):1531-46. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797617714579Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore the most common type of degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis. We look at the risks of getting the disease, complications and symptoms, and what can be done about it. We also look at what may be next on the horizon; clinical trials targeting degenerative joint disease in myriad ways.References:Murphy L, Schwartz TA, Helmick CG, Renner JB, Tudor G, Koch G, Dragomir A, Kalsbeek WD, Luta G, Jordan JM. Lifetime risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis Care & Research: Official Journal of the American College of Rheumatology. 2008 Sep 15;59(9):1207-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.24021Allen KD, Thoma LM, Golightly YM. Epidemiology of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and cartilage. 2022 Feb 1;30(2):184-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2021.04.020Mobasheri A, Batt M. An update on the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine. 2016 Dec 1;59(5-6):333-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2016.07.004Fusco M, Skaper SD, Coaccioli S, Varrassi G, Paladini A. Degenerative joint diseases and neuroinflammation. Pain Practice. 2017 Apr;17(4):522-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/papr.12551 Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, Oatis C, Guyatt G, Block J, Callahan L, Copenhaver C, Dodge C, Felson D, Gellar K. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis & rheumatology. 2020 Feb;72(2):220-33. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24131Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore new RNA interference technology and how it is being investigated for clinical research. We look at what high blood pressure is, one of the key underlining systems involved: RAAS, and how current blood pressure medications target this system. We then look at the theory behind RNA interference medicaitons and why they are so exciting for scientists.Refrerences:Desai AS, Webb DJ, Taubel J, Casey S, Cheng Y, Robbie GJ, Foster D, Huang SA, Rhyee S, Sweetser MT, Bakris GL. Zilebesiran, an RNA interference therapeutic agent for hypertension. New England Journal of Medicine. 2023 Jul 20;389(3):228-38. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2208391Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Hypertension Cascade: Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment and Control Estimates Among US Adults Aged 18 Years and Older Applying the Criteria From the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association’s 2017 Hypertension Guideline—NHANES 2017–2020. 2021 Mar 22. Updated 2023 May 12. Accessed 2026 Mar 19. https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/data-reports/hypertension-prevalence.htmlHu B, Zhong L, Weng Y, Peng L, Huang Y, Zhao Y, Liang XJ. Therapeutic siRNA: state of the art. Signal transduction and targeted therapy. 2020 Jun 19;5(1):101. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-020-0207-xBetts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, Johnson E, Poe B, Kruse DH, et al. The adrenal glands. In: Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax; 2013. Available from: https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/17-6-the-adrenal-glandsRomero CA, Orias M, Weir MR. Novel RAAS agonists and antagonists: clinical applications and controversies. Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 2015 Apr;11(4):242-52. http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nrendo.2015.6Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore some of the roles receptors play in the body. We focus on Cannabanoid 1 (CB1) receptors, which regulate appetite and energy expenditure in the body, but can have effects in the brain as well. We look at how receptors can do different things depending on location and that the challenge of medications is in targeting right receptors in the right place.References:Crater GD, Lalonde K, Ravenelle F, Harvey M, Després JP. Effects of CB1R inverse agonist, INV‐202, in patients with features of metabolic syndrome. A randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind phase 1b study. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2024 Feb;26(2):642-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15353Berg KA, Clarke WP. Making sense of pharmacology: inverse agonism and functional selectivity. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018 Oct;21(10):962-77. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyy071Cinar R, Iyer MR, Kunos G. The therapeutic potential of second and third generation CB1R antagonists. Pharmacology & therapeutics. 2020 Apr 1;208:107477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107477Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we talk about Sjögren's disease, a relatively common autoimmune disease. We explore the risks of contracting the disease, who gets it, symptoms, and complications. We also explore how the disease works on a mechanical level inside the body by hijacking the immune system, and finish by looking at what treatment looks like today and what's coming down the clinical trial pipeline tomorrow.References:Patel R, Shahane A. The epidemiology of Sjögren’s syndrome. Clinical epidemiology. 2014 Jul 30:247-55. https://doi.org/10.2147/clep.s47399Mariette X, Criswell LA. Primary Sjögren’s syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018 Mar 8;378(10):931-9. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1702514Stefanski AL, Tomiak C, Pleyer U, Dietrich T, Burmester GR, Dörner T. The diagnosis and treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. 2017 May 26;114(20):354.https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2017.0354Baldini C, Fulvio G, La Rocca G, Ferro F. Update on the pathophysiology and treatment of primary Sjögren syndrome. Nature Reviews Rheumatology. 2024 Aug;20(8):473-91. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-024-01135-3Yang Y, Shen Z, Shi F, Wang F, Wen N. Efgartigimod as a novel FcRn inhibitor for autoimmune disease. Neurological Sciences. 2024 Sep;45(9):4229-41. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10072-024-07460-5Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode we explore gene therapies. We look at what genes are, why mutations can be dangerous, and what methods are being investigated to solve these problems. Then we focus on familial hypercholesterolemia as an example and look at what's being researched today to solve this problem.References:Hoekstra M, Van Eck M. Gene editing for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Current Atherosclerosis Reports. 2024 May;26(5):139-46. https://doi.org/verve10.1007/s11883-024-01198-3Stankov S, Cuchel M. Gene editing for dyslipidemias: New tools to “cut” lipids. Atherosclerosis. 2023 Mar 1;368:14-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.01.010Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cardiovascular disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Published June 3, 2024. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/cdi/indicator-definitions/cardiovascular-disease.htmlCanepari C, Cantore A. Gene transfer and genome editing for familial hypercholesterolemia. Frontiers in Molecular Medicine. 2023 Apr 3;3:1140997. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmmed.2023.1140997Zhao H, Li Y, He L, Pu W, Yu W, Li Y, Wu YT, Xu C, Wei Y, Ding Q, Song BL. In vivo AAV-CRISPR/Cas9–mediated gene editing ameliorates atherosclerosis in familial hypercholesterolemia. Circulation. 2020 Jan 7;141(1):67-79. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.042476Horie T, Ono K. VERVE-101: a promising CRISPR-based gene editing therapy that reduces LDL-C and PCSK9 levels in HeFH patients. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcvp/pvad103Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore what happens when the body can't supply enough oxygen to cells. This condition, called anemia, is caused by a drop in red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin inside them. We dive into some of the risks, causes, complications, and treatments associated with anemia.References:Johnson RL, Rubenstein SD. Anemia in the emergency department: evaluation and treatment. Emergency Medicine Practice. 2013 Nov;15(11):1-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24716235/Garcia‐Casal MN, Dary O, Jefferds ME, Pasricha SR. Diagnosing anemia: Challenges selecting methods, addressing underlying causes, and implementing actions at the public health level. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2023 Jun;1524(1):37-50. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14996Randi ML, Bertozzi I, Santarossa C, Cosi E, Lucente F, Bogoni G, Biagetti G, Fabris F. Prevalence and causes of anemia in hospitalized patients: impact on diseases outcome. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020 Mar 30;9(4):950. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9040950World Health Organization. Mental Disorders. Updated September 30, 2025. Accessed February 25, 2026.  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders World Health Organization. Malaria. Updated December 4, 2025. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malariaSung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A, Bray F. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: a Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2021 May;71(3):209-49. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21660Klip IT, Comin-Colet J, Voors AA, Ponikowski P, Enjuanes C, Banasiak W, Lok DJ, Rosentryt P, Torrens A, Polonski L, Van Veldhuisen DJ. Iron deficiency in chronic heart failure: an international pooled analysis. American heart journal. 2013 Apr 1;165(4):575-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2013.01.017Vos T, Flaxman AD, Naghavi M, Lozano R, Michaud C, Ezzati M, Shibuya K, Salomon JA, Abdalla S, Aboyans V, Abraham J. Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet. 2012 Dec 15;380(9859):2163-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61729-2Kansagara D, Dyer E, Englander H, Fu R, Freeman M, Kagen D. Treatment of anemia in patients with heart disease: a systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2013 Dec 3;159(11):746-57. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-159-11-201312030-00007Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we take a look at bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is what happens when out-of-control brain chemicals cut our ability to regulate our mood. The condition results in uncontrollable mood swings that can last for weeks at a time, ranging from impuslive mania to debilitating depression.References:Miller S, Dell'Osso B, Ketter TA. The prevalence and burden of bipolar depression. Journal of affective disorders. 2014 Dec 1;169:S3-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(14)70003-5Jain A, Mitra P. Bipolar disorder. In: StatPears [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing; Updated February 20, 2023. Accessed February 17, 2026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558998/Scaini G, Valvassori SS, Diaz AP, Lima CN, Benevenuto D, Fries GR, Quevedo J. Neurobiology of bipolar disorders: a review of genetic components, signaling pathways, biochemical changes, and neuroimaging findings. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry. 2020 Apr 3;42(5):536-51. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4446-2019-0732Frye MA, Prieto ML, Bobo WV, Kung S, Veldic M, Alarcon RD, Moore KM, Choi DS, Biernacka JM, Tye SJ. Current landscape, unmet needs, and future directions for treatment of bipolar depression. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2014 Dec 1;169:S17-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(14)70005-9Costa LDS, Alencar ÁP, Neto PJN, dos Santos MD, da Silva CGL, Pinheiro SDFL, Teixeira Silveira R, Bianco BAV, Pinheiro Júnior RF, de Lima MAP, Reis AOA. Risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder: a systematic review. Journal of affective disorders. 2015 Jan 1;170:237-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.09.003Bruijnzeel AW. kappa-Opioid receptor signaling and brain reward function. Brain research reviews. 2009 Dec 11;62(1):127-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2009.09.008Jacobson ML, Browne CA, Lucki I. Kappa opioid receptor antagonists as potential therapeutics for stress-related disorders. Annual review of pharmacology and toxicology. 2020 Jan 6;60(1):615-36. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010919-023317Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode we investigate the molecule amylin, a hormone that also affects the body and brain. Amylin is released in response to eating, and helps us know when we're full. We look at what amylin is, how it works, and how investigational versions of the hormone may help with obesity and weight loss.References:Lange O, Perez L. Traffic prediction with advanced graph neural networks. Google Deepmind Blog. Published September 3, 2020. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://deepmind.google/blog/traffic-prediction-with-advanced-graph-neural-networks/Billings LK, Hsia S, Bays H, Tidemann-Miller B, O’Hagan J, San Tham L, Butler A, Kazda C, Mather KJ, Coskun T. Eloralintide, a selective amylin receptor agonist for the treatment of obesity: a 48-week phase 2, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet. 2025 Dec 6;406(10520):2631-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)02155-5Volčanšek Š, Koceva A, Jensterle M, Janež A, Muzurović E. Amylin: From mode of action to future clinical potential in diabetes and obesity. Diabetes Therapy. 2025 May 7:1-21. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13300-025-01733-8Hay DL, Chen S, Lutz TA, Parkes DG, Roth JD. Amylin: pharmacology, physiology, and clinical potential. Pharmacological reviews. 2015 Jul 1;67(3):564-600. https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.115.010629Koren MJ, Schramm E. Beyond blood sugar: How science tackles obesity and diabetes. MedEvidence! Articles. February 11, 2026. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://medevidence.com/beyond-blood-sugar-how-science-tackles-obesity-and-diabetesNIDDK. Overweight & Obesity Statistics. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity Accessed December 22, 2025.UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health. Food marketing. University of Connecticut. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://uconnruddcenter.org/research/food-marketing/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Application number 21-332: Approval package. US Food and Drug Administration. Published February 9, 2005. Accessed Feburary 11, 2026. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore the concept of Carbs Last. This is an eating tactic where foods high in fiber and protein are eaten before sugary carbohydrates. A solid history of clinical research studies has shown that this method of eating smooths out spikes in blood glucose and is associated with better outcomes for diabetic patients. Tune in to learn about this fast, free method of helping your body process sugars!References:Willett W, Manson J, Liu S. Glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002 Jul 1;76(1):274S-80S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/76/1.274sTouhamy II S, Palepu K, Karan A, Hootman KC, Riad J, Sripadrao S, Zhao AS, Giannita A, D’Angelo D, Alonso LC, Aronne LJ. Carbohydrates-Last Food Order Improves Time in Range and Reduces Glycemic Variability. Diabetes Care. 2025 Feb 1;48(2):e15-6. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc24-1956Ferguson BK, Wilson PB. Ordered eating and its effects on various postprandial health markers: a systematic review. Journal of the American Nutrition Association. 2023 Nov 17;42(8):746-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/27697061.2022.2161664Shukla AP, Andono J, Touhamy SH, Casper A, Iliescu RG, Mauer E, Zhu YS, Ludwig DS, Aronne LJ. Carbohydrate-last meal pattern lowers postprandial glucose and insulin excursions in type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. 2017 Sep 14;5(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2017-000440Murugesan R, Thiruselvam S, Leela KV, Satheesan A, Geetha K, Ram M, Kumar J. Impact of a structured food sequence and mobile health monitoring on gestational diabetes outcomes: a clinical trial. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025 Jul 28;12:1562240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1562240Vozzo R, Wittert G, Cocchiaro C, Tan WC, Mudge J, Fraser R, Chapman I. Similar effects of foods high in protein, carbohydrate and fat on subsequent spontaneous food intake in healthy individuals. Appetite. 2003 Feb 1;40(2):101-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-6663(03)00003-5Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we take a closer look at Neurotrophic Keratopathy (NK), a rare nerve condition affecting the eye. We explore how the eye works, the risks of developing NK, possible complications of the disease, and what is actually happening within the eye. We also dive into current treatments, including an new investigational class of medications being researched.References: Dua HS, Said DG, Messmer EM, Rolando M, Benitez-del-Castillo JM, Hossain PN, Shortt AJ, Geerling G, Nubile M, Figueiredo FC, Rauz S. Neurotrophic keratopathy. Progress in retinal and eye research. 2018 Sep 1;66:107-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preteyeres.2018.04.003Gipson IK. The ocular surface: the challenge to enable and protect vision: the Friedenwald lecture. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science. 2007 Oct 1;48(10):4391-8. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.07-0770Vera-Duarte GR, Jimenez-Collado D, Kahuam-López N, Ramirez-Miranda A, Graue-Hernandez EO, Navas A, Rosenblatt MI. Neurotrophic keratopathy: General features and new therapies. Survey of Ophthalmology. 2024 Sep 1;69(5):789-804. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039625724000420Gurnani B, Feroze KB, Patel BC. Neurotrophic keratitis. InStatPearls [Internet] 2025 Mar 27. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431106/Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore hypertriglyceridemia: high triglyceride levels in the blood. We look at what triglycerides are, why they might be elevated, and some of the risks and causes of hypertriglyceridemia. We also look at the pivotal role clinical research has and continues to play in controlling this dangerous condition, and give a powerful look at what's being investigated now in the research space.References:Reeskamp LF, Tromp TR, Stroes ES. The next generation of triglyceride-lowering drugs: will reducing apolipoprotein C-III or angiopoietin like protein 3 reduce cardiovascular disease?. Current opinion in lipidology. 2020 Jun 1;31(3):140-6. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOL.0000000000000679Laufs U, Parhofer KG, Ginsberg HN, Hegele RA. Clinical review on triglycerides. European heart journal. 2020 Jan 1;41(1):99-109c. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz785Mohamed F, Mansfield BS, Raal FJ. ANGPTL3 as a drug target in hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Current Atherosclerosis Reports. 2022 Dec;24(12):959-67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-01071-1Ward NC, Chan DC, Watts GF. A tale of two new targets for hypertriglyceridaemia: which choice of therapy?. BioDrugs. 2022 Mar 14;36(2):121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40259-022-00520-2Robciuc MR, Maranghi M, Lahikainen A, Rader D, Bensadoun A, Öörni K, Metso J, Minicocci I, Ciociola E, Ceci F, Montali A. Angptl3 deficiency is associated with increased insulin sensitivity, lipoprotein lipase activity, and decreased serum free fatty acids. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 2013 Jul;33(7):1706-13. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.113.301397Reeskamp, L. F., Tromp, T. R., Huijgen, R., Stroes, E. S., Hovingh, G. K., & Grefhorst, A. (2020). Statin therapy reduces plasma angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) concentrations in hypercholesterolemic patients via reduced liver X receptor (LXR) activation. Atherosclerosis, 315, 68-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.11.013Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we look at the surprising link between mouthwash use and high blood pressure. We explore what mouthwash does, how the bacteria in our mouths are beneficial, and how the products of those bacteria can indirectly affect blood pressure.References:Joshipura K, Muñoz-Torres F, Fernández-Santiago J, Patel RP, Lopez-Candales A. Over-the-counter mouthwash use, nitric oxide and hypertension risk. Blood pressure. 2020 Mar 3;29(2):103-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/08037051.2019.1680270Pacher P, Beckman JS, Liaudet L. Nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in health and disease. Physiological reviews. 2007.Sansbury BE, Hill BG. Regulation of obesity and insulin resistance by nitric oxide. Free radical biology and medicine. 2014 Aug 1;73:383-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2014.05.016Morou-Bermúdez E, Torres-Colón JE, Bermúdez NS, Patel RP, Joshipura KJ. Pathways linking oral bacteria, nitric oxide metabolism, and health. Journal of Dental Research. 2022 Jun;101(6):623-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345211064571Angjelova A, Jovanova E, Polizzi A, Leonardi R, Isola G. Effects of antiseptic formulations on oral microbiota and related systemic diseases: a scoping review. Antibiotics. 2025 Aug 8;14(8):815. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080815Fryar CD, Kit B, Carroll MD, Afful J. Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control among adults age 18 and older: United States, August 2021–August 2023. NCHS Data Brief, no 511. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/164016Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

This week we explore atopic dermatitis, oftne called eczema. This skin condition is common, long lasting, and can have serious effects on mental health and relationships. We explore who gets it, how it works in the body, and what treatments are available and on the horizon.References:Fisher G. Presentation speech by professor G. Fischer, member of the staff of professors of the Royal Caroline Institute. Nobel Lectures, Physiology or Medicine 1942-1962. Amsterdam: Elsevier Publishing Company; 1964. Available at https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1948/ceremony-speech/Jarman WM, Ballschmiter K. From coal to DDT: the history of the development of the pesticide DDT from synthetic dyes till Silent Spring. Endeavour. 2012 Dec 1;36(4):131-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endeavour.2012.10.003Harada T, Takeda M, Kojima S, Tomiyama N. Toxicity and carcinogenicity of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Toxicological research. 2016 Jan;32(1):21-33. https://doi.org/10.5487/TR.2016.32.1.021Beard J, Australian Rural Health Research Collaboration. DDT and human health. Science of the total environment. 2006 Feb 15;355(1-3):78-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.02.022Wollenberg A, Barbarot S, Bieber T, Christen‐Zaech S, Deleuran M, Fink‐Wagner A, Gieler U, Girolomoni G, Lau S, Muraro A, Czarnecka‐Operacz M. Consensus‐based European guidelines for treatment of atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) in adults and children: part I. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2018 May;32(5):657-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.14891Fuxench ZC, Block JK, Boguniewicz M, Boyle J, Fonacier L, Gelfand JM, Grayson MH, Margolis DJ, Mitchell L, Silverberg JI, Schwartz L. Atopic dermatitis in America study: a cross-sectional study examining the prevalence and disease burden of atopic dermatitis in the US adult population. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2019 Mar 1;139(3):583-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2018.08.028Zuberbier T, Orlow SJ, Paller AS, Taïeb A, Allen R, Hernanz-Hermosa JM, Ocampo-Candiani J, Cox M, Langeraar J, Simon JC. Patient perspectives on the management of atopic dermatitis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2006 Jul 1;118(1):226-32. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091674906004507Yang L, Fu J, Zhou Y. Research progress in atopic march. Frontiers in immunology. 2020 Aug 27;11:1907. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01907Locksley RM. Asthma and allergic inflammation. Cell. 2010 Mar 19;140(6):777-83. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(10)00240-0Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we show an increased drive into vagus nerve stimulation clinical research. This FDA-approved therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) is undergoing further trials in an effort to get it approved by big insurance carriers like Medicaid.Hasin DS, Sarvet AL, Meyers JL, et al. Epidemiology of adult DSM-5 major depressive disorder and its specifiers in the United States. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(4):336–346. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.4602Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for child serious emotional disturbance [Internet]. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2016. Accessed December 22, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t5Luing H, Schramm E. Modern psychiatry offers new hope for depression. MedEvidence!. 2025. Accessed December 22, 2025.https://medevidence.com/modern-psychiatry-offers-new-hope-for-depressionNoetel M, Sanders T, Gallardo-Gómez D, Taylor P, del Pozo Cruz B, Van Den Hoek D, Smith JJ, Mahoney J, Spathis J, Moresi M, Pagano R. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2024 Feb 14;384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38355154/US Food and Drug Administration. Premarket approval (PMA) for VNS Therapy system. US Department of Health & Human Services. Accessed December 22, 2025. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpma/pma.cfm?id=p970003s050LivaNova US. SYMMETRY for difficult to treat depression. Accessed December 22, 2025. https://www.livanova.com/depression/en-us/what-is-symmetryShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we look into the calculations being made to develop new obesity treatments. We go into the history, current best practices, body changes, and some possible new solutions in the weight loss field.References:NIDDK. Overweight & Obesity Statistics. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity Accessed December 22, 2025.Kuk JL, Rotondi M, Sui X, Blair SN, Ardern CI. Individuals with obesity but no other metabolic risk factors are not at significantly elevated all‐cause mortality risk in men and women. Clinical obesity. 2018 Oct;8(5):305-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/cob.12263Rothberg AE, McEwen LN, Kraftson AT, Ajluni N, Fowler CE, Nay CK, Miller NM, Burant CF, Herman WH. Impact of weight loss on waist circumference and the components of the metabolic syndrome. BMJ open diabetes research & care. 2017 Feb 20;5(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2016-000341Tahrani AA, Morton J. Benefits of weight loss of 10% or more in patients with overweight or obesity: a review. Obesity. 2022 Apr;30(4):802-40. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23371Franz MJ, Boucher JL, Rutten-Ramos S, VanWormer JJ. Lifestyle weight-loss intervention outcomes in overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2015 Sep 1;115(9):1447-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.02.031Dombrowski SU, Knittle K, Avenell A, Araújo-Soares V, Sniehotta FF. Long term maintenance of weight loss with non-surgical interventions in obese adults: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. Bmj. 2014 May 14;348. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g2646Buckeridge C, Tsamandouras N, Carvajal‐Gonzalez S, Brown LS, Hernandez‐Illas M, Saxena AR. Once‐daily oral small‐molecule glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist lotiglipron (PF‐07081532) for type 2 diabetes and obesity: two randomized, placebo‐controlled, multiple‐ascending‐dose phase 1 studies. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2024 Aug;26(8):3155-66.Jastreboff, A. M., Ryan, D. H., Bays, H. E., Ebeling, P. R., Mackowski, M. G., Philipose, N., ... & Pannacciulli, N. (2025). Once-Monthly Maridebart Cafraglutide for the Treatment of Obesity—A Phase 2 Trial. New England Journal of Medicine.Chakravarthy MV, Rodriguez R, Hergarden A, Elliott MA, Frias JP, Argüelles-Tello FA, Tenorio E, Rankin JE, Wu J, Krishnan S, Erlanson DA. Effects of CT-388, a once-weekly signaling-biased dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, on weight loss and glycemic control in preclinical models and participants with obesity. Molecular Metabolism. 2025 Nov 28:102291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2025.102291Moyes CR, He S, Mathieu S, Lehman SL, Francisco MT, Vardy E, Terracina G, Galstian A, Murphy MJ, Poterewicz G, Kosinski D. Discovery of gut-targeted GPR40 agonist K-757 and GPR119 agonist K-833, a combination treatment for metabolic disorders. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2025 Jul 25;68(15):15339-57. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c010Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, originally written in 2022, we look at some of the science behind creating and maintaining a successful New Year's resolition. We explore how language, habit, and brain science can all make a difference in makign a better you.References:Larimer ME, Palmer RS, Marlatt GA. Relapse prevention: An overview of Marlatt's cognitive-behavioral model. Psychosocial treatments. 2004 Jun 1:1-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6760427/Oscarsson M, Carlbring P, Andersson G, Rozental A. A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLoS One. 2020 Dec 9;15(12):e0234097.. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234097Trifilieff P, Martinez D. Imaging addiction: D2 receptors and dopamine signaling in the striatum as biomarkers for impulsivity. Neuropharmacology. 2014 Jan 1;76:498-509.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.06.031Wimmer S, Lackner HK, Papousek I, Paechter M. Goal orientations and activation of approach versus avoidance motivation while awaiting an achievement situation in the laboratory. Frontiers in psychology. 2018 Aug 28;9:1552. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01552Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, written by guest author Chase Berger, we explore the positive health benefits of clinical research beyond the obvious. We look at how those who can particiapte in clinical research have an alternative method of interacting with healthcare professionals that is quick, consistent, and pateint-oriented.References:Koren, M.J., Geddings, K., (17 November, 2025). Coordinated care through clinical research. On MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. [Podcast]. https://www.medevidence.com/coordinated-care-through-clinical-researchKoren, M.J., Collins, S., (3 December, 2025). Equity through clinical research. On MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. [Podcast]. https://www.medevidence.com/equity-through-clinical-researchOffice of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Health care access and quality.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [Website, accessed 10 December, 2025] https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/health-care-access-and-quality Van de Beek, H. (2019). Clinical research as a care option: optimizing approaches. https://www.appliedclinicaltrialsonline.com/view/clinical-research-care-option-optimizing-approaches Shen, J., Buechler, A., Byrne, J., Hecht, J., James, J., Pancratz, B., (2015).  Clinical research participation as a care option. PMG ResearchShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, which revisits a topic from several years ago, we go deep into the brain to explore what happens inside whe nwe give gifts. We explore a few studies which have looked at brain activity during gifting - including during diffrent types of gifting - and explore why giving gifts makes you feel good, connects you with friends, and acts as a prosocial activity.References:Aknin, L. B., Barrington-Leigh, C. P., Dunn, E. W., Helliwell, J. F., Burns, J., Biswas-Diener, R., ... & Norton, M. I. Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal.https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031578Aknin, L. B., Hamlin, J. K., & Dunn, E. W. (2012). Giving leads to happiness in young children. PLoS one, 7(6), e39211. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0039211Balconi, M., Fronda, G., & Vanutelli, M. E. (2019). A gift for gratitude and cooperative behavior: brain and cognitive effects. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 14(12), 1317-1327. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsaa003Balconi, M., Fronda, G., & Vanutelli, M. E. (2020). When gratitude and cooperation between friends affect inter-brain connectivity for EEG. BMC neuroscience, 21(1), 1-12.Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 320-329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2018.02.014Moll, J., Krueger, F., Zahn, R., Pardini, M., de Oliveira-Souza, R., & Grafman, J. (2006). Human fronto–mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(42), 15623-15628. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0604475103Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this episode we explore the less cheery side of the holidays: holiday heart syndrome. This syndrome is defined as irregular heartbeats that occur as a result of binge drinking, the type of which is frequently seen around the holidays. We explore the risks, outcomes, mechanics, and treatments of this not-so-happy heart syndrome.References:Jain, A., Yelamanchili, V. S., Brown, K. N., & Goel, A. (2024). Holiday heart syndrome. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537185/World Health Organization. (January 4, 2023). No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. [Website, accessed November 18, 2025]. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-healthEsser, M. B. (2024). Deaths from excessive alcohol use—United States, 2016–2021. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73.https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7308a1.htmYan, J., Thomson, J. K., Zhao, W., Gao, X., Huang, F., Chen, B., ... & Ai, X. (2018). Role of stress kinase JNK in binge alcohol-evoked atrial arrhythmia. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 71(13), 1459-1470. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5903584/Yan, J., & Ai, X. (2022). Holiday heart syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and RyR2 antagonist. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology, 80(5), 636-638. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10508393/Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore the stream of causes that can lead to the painful inflammatory condition gout. We look at the risks, progression, mechanics, and solutions available for this most common inflammatory arthritis. The primary cause of gout is excessive urate in the the blood depositing itself, especially toes. We then look ahead to clinical trials that recently wrapped up or are currently underway and which target the underlying urate in the blood or the immune response to urate crystals in joints.ReferencesDalbeth, N., Choi, H. K., Joosten, L. A., Khanna, P. P., Matsuo, H., Perez-Ruiz, F., & Stamp, L. K. (2019). Gout (primer). Nature Reviews. Disease Primers, 5(1).Chen-Xu, M. (2018, October). Contemporary prevalence of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the United States (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 2015-2016) and decadal trends (NHANES 2007-2016). In 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. ACR. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6536335/ Benn, C. L., Dua, P., Gurrell, R., Loudon, P., Pike, A., Storer, R. I., & Vangjeli, C. (2018). Physiology of hyperuricemia and urate-lowering treatments. Frontiers in medicine, 5, 160. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5990632/Wu, C., Zhang, C., Jin, S., Wang, J. J., Dai, A., Xu, J., ... & Xu, H. E. (2025). Molecular mechanisms of urate transport by the native human URAT1 and its inhibition by anti-gout drugs. Cell Discovery, 11(1), 33. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11962085/Rai, S. K., Fung, T. T., Lu, N., Keller, S. F., Curhan, G. C., & Choi, H. K. (2017). The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Western diet, and risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study. BMJ, 357. https://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1794.abstractKim, S. K. (2022). The mechanism of the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pathogenic implication in the pathogenesis of gout. Journal of rheumatic diseases, 29(3), 140-153. https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1516078716Qaseem, A., Harris, R. P., Forciea, M. A., & Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians*. (2017). Management of acute and recurrent gout: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of internal medicine, 166(1), 58-68. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M16-0570Suo, Y., Fedor, J. G., Zhang, H., Tsolova, K., Shi, X., Sharma, K., ... & Lee, S. Y. (2025). Molecular basis of the urate transporter URAT1 inhibition by gout drugs. Nature Communications, 16(1), 5178. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60480-3Atom Therapeutics. (2025, September 8). Atom therapeutics announShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we talk about placebos, which are inert "medications" used to compare with active drugs. We talk about how the use of medications that "do nothing" can provide pain relief, change hormone balance int he body, and lower symptoms across a broad variety of diseases.References:Beecher, H. K. (1955). The powerful placebo. Journal of the American Medical Association, 159(17), 1602-1606. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/303530Wager, T. D., & Atlas, L. Y. (2015). The neuroscience of placebo effects: connecting context, learning and health. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(7), 403-418. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3976Zunhammer, M., Spisák, T., Wager, T. D., & Bingel, U. (2021). Meta-analysis of neural systems underlying placebo analgesia from individual participant fMRI data. Nature communications, 12(1), 1391. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-21179-3Marchant, J. (2016). Placebos: honest fakery. Nature, 535(7611), S14-S15. https://www.nature.com/articles/535S14aAmanzio, M., & Benedetti, F. (1999). Neuropharmacological dissection of placebo analgesia: expectation-activated opioid systems versus conditioning-activated specific subsystems. Journal of Neuroscience, 19(1), 484-494. https://www.jneurosci.org/content/19/1/484.shortChen, C., Niehaus, J. K., Dinc, F., Huang, K. L., Barnette, A. L., Tassou, A., ... & Scherrer, G. (2024). Neural circuit basis of placebo pain relief. Nature, 632(8027), 1092-1100. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07816-zShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore some specific, actionable methods for increasing gratitude. These include gratitude journaling, gratitude letters, mental subtraction, and experiantial consumption. We go over what the methods are, how they work, and how expressing gratitude may help mental health.References:Allen, S. (2018). The science of gratitude (pp. 1217948920-1544632649). Conshohocken, PA: John Templeton Foundation. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Gratitude-FINAL.pdfDickens, L. R. (2017). Using gratitude to promote positive change: A series of meta-analyses investigating the effectiveness of gratitude interventions. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 39(4), 193-208. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01973533.2017.1323638Enmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377-389.Geraghty, A. W., Wood, A. M., & Hyland, M. E. (2010). Attrition from self-directed interventions: Investigating the relationship between psychological predictors, intervention content and dropout from a body dissatisfaction intervention. Social science & medicine, 71(1), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.007 Kaczmarek, L. D., Kashdan, T. B., Kleiman, E. M., Baczkowski, B., Enko, J., Siebers, A., ... & Baran, B. (2013). Who self-initiates gratitude interventions in daily life? An examination of intentions, curiosity, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 55(7), 805-810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.06.013 Koo, M., Algoe, S. B., Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2008). It's a wonderful life: Mentally subtracting positive events improves people's affective states, contrary to their affective forecasts. Journal of personality and social psychology, 95(5), 1217. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746912/ Renshaw, T. L., & Olinger Steeves, R. M. (2016). What good is gratitude in youth and schools? A systematic review and meta‐analysis of correlates and intervention outcomes. Psychology in the Schools, 53(3), 286-305. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pits.21903 Seligman, M. E., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: empirical validation of interventions. American psychologist, 60(5), 410. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410Walker, J., Kumar, A., & Gilovich, T. (2016). CulShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we talk about gratitude, and how it can affect mood, positive emotions, and even biological markers of health.References:Allen, S. (2018). The science of gratitude (pp. 1217948920-1544632649). Conshohocken, PA: John Templeton Foundation. Boggiss, A. L., Consedine, N. S., Brenton-Peters, J. M., Hofman, P. L., & Serlachius, A. S. (2020). A systematic review of gratitude interventions: Effects on physical health and health behaviors. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 135, 110165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110165McCullough, M. E., Emmons, R. A., & Tsang, J. A. (2002). The grateful disposition: a conceptual and empirical topography. Journal of personality and social psychology, 82(1), 112. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.82.1.112Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we talk about how targeting a specific immune cell called an eosinophil may help lower the burden of COPD (chronic obstructive pilmonary disease). We explore the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment options for COPD, including targeting the eosinophil pathway.References:Bhatti, M. S. (1999). A historical look at chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants. ASHRAE Transactions, 105, 1186. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20002388Narendra, D. K., & Hanania, N. A. (2019). Targeting IL-5 in COPD. International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 1045-1051. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/COPD.S155306World Health Organization. (6 November, 2024). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). [Website, accessed 4 November, 2025]. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-(copd)Barnes, P. J. (2019). Inflammatory endotypes in COPD. Allergy, 74(7), 1249-1256. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/all.13760Dixon F. J. (Ed.). (1987). Advances in immunology (Vol. 39). Academic Press. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Advances_in_Immunology/GXpByqkfZNcCShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this episode, we explore the role of adjuvants in vaccines. These addatives help the immune response to a vaccine, making it more effective at stoping infection, complication, hospitalization, and or death. We discuss the need for better vaccines and how adjuvants may be able to help.References:Grohskopf, L. A. (2019). Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2019–20 influenza season. MMWR. Recommendations and Reports, 68. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/rr/rr7305a1.htmGross, P. A., Hermogenes, A. W., Sacks, H. S., Lau, J., & Levandowski, R. A. (1995). The efficacy of influenza vaccine in elderly persons: a meta-analysis and review of the literature. Annals of Internal medicine, 123(7), 518-527. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK66348/Puig-Barbera, J., Diez-Domingo, J., Arnedo-Pena, A., Ruiz-Garcia, M., Perez-Vilar, S., Mico-Esparza, J. L., ... & Schwarz-Chavarri, H. (2012). Effectiveness of the 2010–2011 seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing confirmed influenza hospitalizations in adults: A case–case comparison, case-control study. Vaccine, 30(39), 5714-5720. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X12010079Kwong, J. C., Campitelli, M. A., Gubbay, J. B., Peci, A., Winter, A. L., Olsha, R., ... & Crowcroft, N. S. (2013). Vaccine effectiveness against laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations among elderly adults during the 2010–2011 season. Clinical infectious diseases, 57(6), 820-827. https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/57/6/820/330306Wilson, K. L., Xiang, S. D., & Plebanski, M. (2017). Inflammatory/noninflammatory adjuvants and nanotechnology—The secret to vaccine design. In Micro and nanotechnology in vaccine development (pp. 99-125). William Andrew Publishing. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323399814000063Schijns, V. E. (2000). Immunological concepts of vaccine adjuvant activity: Commentary. Current opinion in immunology, 12(4), 456-463. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0952-7915(00)00120-5Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode we explore osteoporosis, a condition where there's "too little bone in the bone." We look at how bones work normally ,adn compare that to the risks, pathophysiology, and treatments available to those with osteoporosis.References:Marcus, R., Dempster, D. W., Cauley, J. A., & Feldman, D. (Eds.). (2013). Osteoporosis. Academic Press. Reginster, J. Y., & Burlet, N. (2006). Osteoporosis: a still increasing prevalence. Bone, 38(2), 4-9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8756328205005272Sarafrazi, N., Wambogo, E. A., & Shepherd, J. A. (2021). Osteoporosis or low bone mass in older adults: United States, 2017–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 405. National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db405.htmBurge, R., Dawson‐Hughes, B., Solomon, D. H., Wong, J. B., King, A., & Tosteson, A. (2007). Incidence and economic burden of osteoporosis‐related fractures in the United States, 2005–2025. Journal of bone and mineral research, 22(3), 465-475.Rachner, T. D., Khosla, S., & Hofbauer, L. C. (2011). Osteoporosis: now and the future. The Lancet, 377(9773), 1276-1287. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)62349-5/Akhiiarova, K., Khusainova, R., Minniakhmetov, I., Mokrysheva, N., & Tyurin, A. (2023). Peak bone mass formation: modern view of the problem. Biomedicines, 11(11), 2982. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s001980070020Albright, F., & Reifenstein, E. C. (1948). The Parathyriod Glands and Metabolic Bone Disease. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/19512200496Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore what monoclonal antibodies are, how they make things happen in the body, and how they can be used in medicine. We discuss how they can be used for identifying cells, delivering drugs to specific cells, or anything in between. Tune in to learn about monoclonal antibodies and hwo they relate to a cat who's a picky eater.References:Nelson, P. N., Reynolds, G. M., Waldron, E. E., Ward, E., Giannopoulos, K., & Murray, P. G. (2000). Demystified…: monoclonal antibodies. Molecular pathology, 53(3), 111. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1186915/Betts, J. G., Young, A., Wise, J. A., Johnson, E., Poe, B., Kruse, D. H., Korol, O., Johnson, J. E., Womble, M., & DeSaix, P. (2013). 21.4 The adaptive immune response: B-lymphocytes and antibodies. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/21-4-the-adaptive-immune-response-b-lymphocytes-and-antibodiesBayer, V. (2019, October). An overview of monoclonal antibodies. In Seminars in oncology nursing, 35(5), 150927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2019.08.006Tsao, L. C., Force, J., & Hartman, Z. C. (2021). Mechanisms of therapeutic antitumor monoclonal antibodies. Cancer research, 81(18), 4641-4651. https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article-abstract/81/18/4641/670332/Mechanisms-of-Therapeutic-Antitumor-MonoclonalShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we explore the ins and outs of chronic spontaneous urticaria. We discuss the signs, symptoms, complications, and how-it-works of the disease, including how linchpin molecules in the cell like Bruton's tyrosine kinase may be the key to tempering extreme reposnses from a hair-trigger immune system.References:Isachenkov, V. (2017, September 19). Stanislav Petrov, who averted nuclear war, dies at 77. The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/general-news-b9de4e3c9a5949e4a27e8ea601059f25Zuberbier T, Abdul Latiff AH, Abuzakouk M, et al (2022) The international EAACI/GA²LEN/EuroGuiDerm/APAAACI guideline for the definition, classification, diagnosis, and management of urticaria. Allergy; 77:734-6. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/all.15090Gonçalo, M., Gimenéz‐Arnau, A., Al‐Ahmad, M., Ben‐Shoshan, M., Bernstein, J. A., Ensina, L. F., ... & Maurer, M. (2021). The global burden of chronic urticaria for the patient and society. British Journal of Dermatology, 184(2), 226-236. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.19561Jain V, Giménez-Arnau A, Hayama K, et al (2024) Remibrutinib demonstrates favorable safety profile and sustained efficacy in chronic spontaneous urticaria over 52 weeks. J Allergy Clin Immunol; 153(2):479-86 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2023.10.007Balp, M.M., Halliday, A.C., Severin, T, et al (2022). Clinical remission of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU): A Targeted Literature Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). Jan;12(1):15-27. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-021-00641-6Saini SS, Kaplan AP (2018) Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: The Devil's Itch. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract; 6(4):1097-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2018.04.013Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode we review fatty liver disease, called metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its advanced form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. We look at the prevalence, risks, and complications of this dangerous disease. Then we get into the nuts and bolts of how MASLD and MASH work and some of the treatment options available.References:Allen, A. M., Younossi, Z. M., Diehl, A. M., Charlton, M. R., & Lazarus, J. V. (2024). Envisioning how to advance the MASH field. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 21(10), 726-738. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-024-00938-9Bauer, D. C., & McPhee, S. J. (2013). Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine.  P412-413Elshaghabee, F. M., Bockelmann, W., Meske, D., De Vrese, M., Walte, H. G., Schrezenmeir, J., & Heller, K. J. (2016). Ethanol production by selected intestinal microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria growing under different nutritional conditions. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 47.Harrison, S. A., Rolph, T., Knott, M., & Dubourg, J. (2024). FGF21 agonists: An emerging therapeutic for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and beyond. Journal of Hepatology, 81(3), 562-576. https://www.journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278%2824%2900332-5/fulltext\Steinberg, G. R., Valvano, C. M., De Nardo, W., & Watt, M. J. (2025). Integrative metabolism in MASLD and MASH: pathophysiology and emerging mechanisms. Journal of Hepatology, 83(2), 584-595. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168827825001424Younossi, Z. M., Kalligeros, M., & Henry, L. (2024). Epidemiology of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Clinical and molecular hepatology, 31(Suppl), S32. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925440/Younossi, Z. M., Golabi, P., Paik, J. M., Henry, A., Van Dongen, C., & Henry, L. (2023). The global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): a systematic review. Hepatology, 77(4), 1335-1347. https://journals.lww.com/hep/fulltext/2023/04000/the_global_epidemiology_of_nonalcoholic_fatty.27.aspxU.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2025, August 15). FDA approves treatment for serious liver disease known as “MASH”. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-treatment-serious-liver-disease-known-masShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In today's episode we discuss an immune-mediated disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE. We review the symptoms, risks, and damage this disease can cause. We also get into what happens inside the body during and what's being done in both standard medicine and clinical research to try to end EoE.References:[1] Muir, A., & Falk, G. W. (2021). Eosinophilic esophagitis: a review. Jama, 326(13), 1310-1318. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9045493/[2] Nurko, S., & Furuta, G. T. (2006). Eosinophilic esophagitis. GI Motility online. https://www.nature.com/gimo/contents/pt1/full/gimo49.html[3] Rochman, Y., Kotliar, M., Ben-Baruch Morgenstern, N., Barski, A., Wen, T., & Rothenberg, M. E. (2023). TSLP shapes the pathogenic responses of memory CD4+ T cells in eosinophilic esophagitis. Science signaling, 16(802). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10602003/[4] Dellon, E. S., Gonsalves, N., Hirano, I., Furuta, G. T., Liacouras, C. A., & Katzka, D. A. (2013). ACG clinical guideline: evidenced based approach to the diagnosis and management of esophageal eosinophilia and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). American Journal of Gastroenterology, 108(5), 679-692. https://journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/2013/05000/ACG_Clinical_Guideline__Evidenced_Based_Approach.10.aspx?context=FeaturedArticles&collectionId=2[5] He, R., & Geha, R. S. (2010). Thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1183(1), 13-24. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2895428/Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this podcast, we explore Crohn's disease: who it affects, what it is, how it works in the body, and what you can do about it. We relate the disease to screens on windows, which can degrade over time, letting unwanted bugs in the house. Tune in for the who, how, and what can be done about Crohn's!References:Roda, G., Chien Ng, S., Kotze, P. G., Argollo, M., Panaccione, R., Spinelli, A., ... & Danese, S. (2020). Crohn’s disease. Nature reviews Disease primers, 6(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-020-0156-2Peyrin-Biroulet, L., Loftus, E. V., Colombel, J. F., & Sandborn, W. J. (2011). Long-term complications, extraintestinal manifestations, and mortality in adult Crohn's disease in population-based cohorts. Inflammatory bowel diseases, 17(1), 471-478. https://academic.oup.com/ibdjournal/article-abstract/17/1/471/4631202Torres, J., Mehandru, S., Colombel, J. F., & Peyrin-Biroulet, L. (2017). Crohn's disease. The Lancet, 389(10080), 1741-1755. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)31711-1/abstractPiovani, D., Danese, S., Peyrin-Biroulet, L., Nikolopoulos, G. K., Lytras, T., & Bonovas, S. (2019). Environmental risk factors for inflammatory bowel diseases: an umbrella review of meta-analyses. Gastroenterology, 157(3), 647-659. https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(19)36709-5/fulltextMarks, D. J., Rahman, F. Z., Sewell, G. W., & Segal, A. W. (2010). Crohn’s disease: an immune deficiency state. Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology, 38(1), 20-31. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12016-009-8133-2Colombel, J. F., Panaccione, R., Bossuyt, P., Lukas, M., Baert, F., Vaňásek, T., ... & D'Haens, G. (2017). Effect of tight control management on Crohn's disease (CALM): a multicentre, randomised, controlled phase 3 trial. The Lancet, 390(10114), 2779-2789. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)32641-7/abstractShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we set sail to explore Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. We cruise past the risks, symptoms, and what actually happens inside the brain to make increase impulsivity, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. Finally, we shoot the breeze with various treatment options, including medical, therapy-based, and alternative.References:Norman, L. J., Sudre, G., Price, J., Shastri, G. G., & Shaw, P. (2023). Evidence from “big data” for the default-mode hypothesis of ADHD: a mega-analysis of multiple large samples. Neuropsychopharmacology, 48(2), 281-289. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-022-01408-zAyano, G., Demelash, S., Gizachew, Y., Tsegay, L., & Alati, R. (2023). The global prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: An umbrella review of meta-analyses. Journal of affective disorders, 339, 860-866. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37495084/Bozinovic, K., McLamb, F., O’Connell, K., Olander, N., Feng, Z., Haagensen, S., & Bozinovic, G. (2021). US national, regional, and state-specific socioeconomic factors correlate with child and adolescent ADHD diagnoses pre-COVID-19 pandemic. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 22008. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8580963/Faraone, S. V., Bellgrove, M. A., Brikell, I., Cortese, S., Hartman, C. A., Hollis, C., ... & Buitelaar, J. K. (2024). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Primer). Nature Reviews. Disease Primers, 10(1), 11. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2930209032Yang, A., Rolls, E. T., Dong, G., Du, J., Li, Y., Feng, J., ... & Zhao, X. M. (2022). Longer screen time utilization is associated with the polygenic risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with mediation by brain white matter microstructure. EBioMedicine, 80. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396422002201Faraone, S. V., Banaschewski, T., Coghill, D., Zheng, Y., Biederman, J., Bellgrove, M. A., ... & Wang, Y. (2021). The world federation of ADHD international consensus statement: 208 evidence-based conclusions about the disorder. Neuroscience & biobehavioral reviews, 128, 789-818. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014976342100049XBerry, C. A., Shaywitz, S. E., & Shaywitz, B. A. (1985). Girls with attention deficit disorder: A silent minority? A report on behavioral and cognitive characteristics. Pediatrics, 76(5), 801-809. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/76/5/801/53947/Girls-With-Attention-Deficit-Disorder-A-SilentWallace, J., Boers, E., Ouellet, J., Afzali, M. H., & Conrod, P.Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this episode we dive deep into new technologies in the ongoing attempt to get cholesterol levels under control worldwide. Heart disease remains the #1 killer in America, and much of the blame falls on high cholesterol. We go into what cholesterol is and some of the new targets and technologies being developed now to help keep the body in line producing the right amount of the right proteins for good cholesterol control.References:Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2025). Accident search results: Keyword “Robot”. U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed 3 September, 2025. https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/AccidentSearch.search?acc_keyword=%22Robot%22&keyword_list=on&Fatal=fatalU.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Leading causes of death, 1900-1998. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/nchs/data/dvs/lead1900_98.pdfMurphy, S. L., Kochanek, K. D., Xu, J., & Arias, E. (2024). Mortality in the United States, 2023. In NCHS Data Briefs [Internet]. National Center for Health Statistics (US). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db521.htmMakhmudova, U., Steinhagen-Thiessen, E., Volpe, M., & Landmesser, U. (2024). Advances in nucleic acid-targeted therapies for cardiovascular disease prevention. Cardiovascular Research, 120(10), 1107-1125. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvae136O'Donoghue, M. L., López, J. A. G., Knusel, B., Gencer, B., Wang, H., Wu, Y., ... & Sabatine, M. S. (2022). Study design and rationale for the Olpasiran trials of Cardiovascular Events And lipoproteiN (a) reduction-DOSE finding study (OCEAN (a)-DOSE). American Heart Journal, 251, 61-69. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002870322000862Nissen, S. E., Wolski, K., Cho, L., Nicholls, S. J., Kastelein, J., Leitersdorf, E., ... & Nordestgaard, B. G. (2022). Lipoprotein (a) levels in a global population with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Open Heart, 9(2), e002060. https://openheart.bmj.com/content/9/2/e002060Damase, T. R., Sukhovershin, R., Godin, B., Nasir, K., & Cooke, J. P. (2024). Established and emerging nucleic acid therapies for familial hypercholesterolemia. Circulation, 150(9), 724-735. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.067957Oral, E. A., Garg, A., Tami, J., Huang, E. A., O'Dea, L. S. L., Schmidt, H., ... & Tsimikas, S. (2022). Assessment of efficacy and safety of volanesorsen for treatment of metabolic complications in patients with familial partial lipodystrophy: Results of the BROADEN study: VoShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore the use of marijuana (cannabis) as a pain relief medication. We go over the main psychoactive component of marijuana, THC, how it works, and how it interacts with neurons in the brain and body to lower our perception of pain.References:Rikard, S. M. (2023). Chronic pain among adults—United States, 2019–2021. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10121254/Knopp, K. L., Downing, A. M., Anthony, L., Chaterjee, S., Price, K., & Sparks, J. (2024). An innovative phase 2 chronic pain master protocol design to assess novel mechanisms in multiple pain types. Pain Reports, 9(6), e1203.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11487222/Grant, K. S., Petroff, R., Isoherranen, N., Stella, N., & Burbacher, T. M. (2018). Cannabis use during pregnancy: pharmacokinetics and effects on child development. Pharmacology & therapeutics, 182, 133-151. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0163725817302243Rollston, C. (2020). The emergence of alphabetic scripts. A companion to ancient near eastern languages, 65-81. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119193814.ch4Henson, J. D., Vitetta, L., & Hall, S. (2022). Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol medicines for chronic pain and mental health conditions. Inflammopharmacology, 30(4), 1167-1178. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/S10787-022-01020-ZSokolaj, E., Assareh, N., Anderson, K., Aubrey, K. R., & Vaughan, C. W. (2024). Cannabis constituents for chronic neuropathic pain; reconciling the clinical and animal evidence. Journal of Neurochemistry, 168(11), 3685-3698. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jnc.15964Borges, J. P., Mekhail, K., Fairn, G. D., Antonescu, C. N., & Steinberg, B. E. (2021). Modulation of pathological pain by epidermal growth factor receptor. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 642820. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.642820/fullApkarian, A. V., Baliki, M. N., & Geha, P. Y. (2009). Towards a theory of chronic pain. Progress in neurobiology, 87(2), 81-97. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301008208001135Bie, B., Wu, J., Foss, J. F., & Naguib, M. (2018). An overview of the cannabinoid type 2 receptor system and its therapeutic potential. Current Opinion in Anesthesiology, 31(4), 407-414. Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we review celiac disease. We talk about what it is, and what goes wrong inside the body. We discuss the underlying genetic factors and why genetics alone aren't enough to guarantee celiac disease. We wrap up on a hopeful note, exploring new avenues to be explored in clinical research trials.References:Lebwohl, B., & Rubio-Tapia, A. (2021). Epidemiology, presentation, and diagnosis of celiac disease. Gastroenterology, 160(1), 63-75. https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085%2820%2935165-9/fulltextLindfors, K., Ciacci, C., Kurppa, K., Lundin, K. E., Makharia, G. K., Mearin, M. L., ... & Kaukinen, K. (2019). Coeliac disease. Nature reviews Disease primers, 5(1), 3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-018-0054-zSollid, L. M. (2000). Molecular basis of celiac disease. Annual review of immunology, 18(1), 53-81. https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev.immunol.18.1.53King, J. A., Jeong, J., Underwood, F. E., Quan, J., Panaccione, N., Windsor, J. W., ... & Kaplan, G. G. (2020). Incidence of celiac disease is increasing over time: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal Gastroenterology, 115(4), 507-525. https://journals.lww.com/ajg/abstract/2020/04000/incidence_of_celiac_disease_is_increasing_over.9.aspxKelly, C. P., Murray, J. A., Leffler, D. A., Getts, D. R., Bledsoe, A. C., Smithson, G., ... & Turner, M. (2021). TAK-101 nanoparticles induce gluten-specific tolerance in celiac disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Gastroenterology, 161(1), 66-80. https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(21)00521-7/fulltextShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore how pain works, some of the causes of pain, and some of the possible solutions to chronic pain. We look at the who, what, and the how of pain in the body - and how its a brain process as much has in the body process.References:Kuner, R., & Flor, H. (2017). Structural plasticity and reorganisation in chronic pain. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 18(1), 20-30. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn.2016.162Borges, J. P., Mekhail, K., Fairn, G. D., Antonescu, C. N., & Steinberg, B. E. (2021). Modulation of pathological pain by epidermal growth factor receptor. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 642820. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.642820/fullKandel, E. R., Schwartz, J. H., Jessell, T. M., Siegelbaum, S., Hudspeth, A. J., & Mack, S. (Eds.). (2000). Principles of neural science (Vol. 4, pp. 1149-1159, 1227-1246). New York: McGraw-hill.Johnson, M. I. (2019). The landscape of chronic pain: broader perspectives. Medicina, 55(5), 182. https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/55/5/182Knopp, K. L., Downing, A. M., Anthony, L., Chaterjee, S., Price, K., & Sparks, J. (2024). An innovative phase 2 chronic pain master protocol design to assess novel mechanisms in multiple pain types. Pain Reports, 9(6), e1203.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11487222/Rikard, S. M. (2023). Chronic pain among adults—United States, 2019–2021. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10121254/Apkarian, A. V., Baliki, M. N., & Geha, P. Y. (2009). Towards a theory of chronic pain. Progress in neurobiology, 87(2), 81-97. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301008208001135Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we review the history of the flu. We explore ancient flu pandemics, the "Spanish flu" of 1918, and the state of the flu today. In addition, we explore why the flu is so hard to achieve lasting immunity from infection or vaccination. We also get into the nitty-gritty of what the flu is, how it works, and what's being done in the world of science and clinical research to help protect us better.References:Trilla, A., Trilla, G., & Daer, C. (2008). The 1918 “spanish flu” in spain. Clinical infectious diseases, 47(5), 668-673. https://doi.org/10.1086/590567Lina, B. (2008). History of influenza pandemics. In Paleomicrobiology: past human infections (pp. 199-211). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.Saunders-Hastings, P. R., & Krewski, D. (2016). Reviewing the history of pandemic influenza: understanding patterns of emergence and transmission. Pathogens, 5(4), 66. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/5/4/66Barry, J. M. (2004). The site of origin of the 1918 influenza pandemic and its public health implications. Journal of Translational medicine, 2(1), 3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC340389/Potter, C. W. (2001). A history of influenza. Journal of applied microbiology, 91(4), 572-579. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2672.2001.01492.xFrancis, M. E., King, M. L., & Kelvin, A. A. (2019). Back to the future for influenza preimmunity—Looking back at influenza virus history to infer the outcome of future infections. Viruses, 11(2), 122. https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/2/122Hannoun, C. (2013). The evolving history of influenza viruses and influenza vaccines. Expert review of vaccines, 12(9), 1085-1094. https://doi.org/10.1586/14760584.2013.824709Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, we look at an increasingly full house of treatments which are being developed to join the club of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease medications. We look at what ADPKD is, who it affects, and what kinds of treatments on the horizon may be a diamond in the rough. Find out all about ADPKD in this fun podcast that raises spirits, suits a quest for knowledge, and doesn't bluff about this condition!References:Cornec-Le Gall, E., Alam, A., & Perrone, R. D. (2019). Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The Lancet, 393(10174), 919-935. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2186986383?accountid=14690Jdiaa, S. S., Mustafa, R. A., & Alan, S. L. (2025). Treatment of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease. American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 85(4), 491-500. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272638624010321Koren, M. J., Chebib, M. (16 July, 2025). What's on the horizon for polycystic kidney disease (PKD)? On MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. [Podcast]. https://medevidence.com/whats-on-the-horizon-for-polycystic-kidney-disease-pkdChebib, F. T., & Torres, V. E. (2018). Recent advances in the management of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 13(11), 1765-1776. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6237066/Reiterová, J., & Tesař, V. (2022). Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: from pathophysiology of cystogenesis to advances in the treatment. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(6), 3317. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/6/3317Kashyap, S., Zeidler, J. D., Chini, C. C., & Chini, E. N. (2020). Implications of the PAPP-A-IGFBP-IGF-1 pathway in the pathogenesis and treatment of polycystic kidney disease. Cellular signalling, 73, 109698. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0898656820301753Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

On this week's episode, written by guest author Christy Kestner, PhD, we discuss traumatic brain injury; when the brain gets banged around enough to cause damage. We explore the causes, problems, some ways to protect yourself, and what to do if you or someone you know experiences a traumatic brain injury; along with signs and symptoms to help identify one.References: Taylor, C. A., Bell, J. M., Breiding, M. J., & Xu, L. (2017). Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths - United States, 2007 and 2013. Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries (Washington, D.C. : 2002), 66(9), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6609a1 Bener, A., Omar, A. O., Ahmad, A. E., Al-Mulla, F. H., & Abdul Rahman, Y. S. (2010). The pattern of traumatic brain injuries: a country undergoing rapid development. Brain injury, 24(2), 74–80. https://doi.org/10.3109/02699050903508192 McKee, A. C., & Robinson, M. E. (2014). Military-related traumatic brain injury and neurodegeneration. Alzheimer's & dementia, 10(3 Suppl), S242–S253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.04.003 Shenton, M. E., Hamoda, H. M., Schneiderman, J. S., Bouix, S., Pasternak, O., Rathi, Y., Vu, M. A., Purohit, M. P., Helmer, K., Koerte, I., Lin, A. P., Westin, C. F., Kikinis, R., Kubicki, M., Stern, R. A., & Zafonte, R. (2012). A review of magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging findings in mild traumatic brain injury. Brain imaging and behavior, 6(2), 137–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-012-9156-5 Cheng, Y. S., Tseng, P. T., Wu, Y. C., Tu, Y. K., Wu, C. K., Hsu, C. W., Lei, W. T., Li, D. J., Chen, T. Y., Stubbs, B., Carvalho, A. F., Liang, C. S., Yeh, T. C., Chu, C. S., Chen, Y. W., Lin, P. Y., Wu, M. K., & Sun, C. K. (2021). Therapeutic benefits of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for depressive symptoms after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN, 46(1), E196–E207. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.190122 Komoltsev, I. G., Frankevich, S. O., Shirobokova, N. I., Volkova, A. A., Onufriev, M. V., Moiseeva, J. V., Novikova, M. R., & Gulyaeva, N. V. (2021). Neuroinflammation and Neuronal Loss in the Hippocampus Are Associated with Immediate Posttraumatic Seizures and Corticosterone Elevation in Rats. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(11), 5883. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22115883 Baracaldo-Santamaría, D., Ariza-Salamanca, D. F., Corrales-Hernández, M. G., Pachón-Londoño, M. J., Hernandez-Duarte, I., & Calderon-Ospina, C.-A. (2022). Revisiting Excitotoxicity in Traumatic Brain Injury: From Bench to Bedside. Pharmaceutics, 14(1), 152. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14010152 Li, L., Zhou, J., Han, L., Guo, CShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is incredibly common, affecting 1 in 7 Americans, and heart disease is a common cause of death for those with CKD. In this week's article we explore the role inflammation plays in chronic kidney disease and how the same inflammation that damages the kidneys may also lead to damage in other parts of the body, including the heart. We also review why inflammation is beneficial in low amounts and what's being done to help lower chronic inflammation without compromising this vital immune response.References:Kadatane, S. P., Satariano, M., Massey, M., Mongan, K., & Raina, R. (2023). The role of inflammation in CKD. Cells, 12(12), 1581. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12121581Kovesdy, C. P. (2022). Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease: an update 2022. Kidney international supplements, 12(1), 7-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kisu.2021.11.003Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Jafar, T. H., Nitsch, D., Neuen, B. L., & Perkovic, V. (2021). Chronic kidney disease. The lancet, 398(10302), 786-802. https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(21)00519-5/abstractBajaj, A., Xie, D., Cedillo-Couvert, E., Charleston, J., Chen, J., Deo, R., ... & Townsend, R. R. (2019). Lipids, apolipoproteins, and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in persons with CKD. American journal of kidney diseases, 73(6), 827-836. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2018.11.010Speer, T., Dimmeler, S., Schunk, S. J., Fliser, D., & Ridker, P. M. (2022). Targeting innate immunity-driven inflammation in CKD and cardiovascular disease. Nature Reviews Nephrology, 18(12), 762-778. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-022-00621-9Zoccalli C and Mallamaci F. Innate Immunity System in Patients With Cardiovascular and Kidney Disease. Circ Res. 2023, 132(8):915-932. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.122.321749Mazhar, F., Fu, E. L., Faucon, A. L., Hjemdahl, P., Mathisen, J., Muhammad, I. F., ... & Carrero, J. J. (2025). Systemic inflammation and the risks of adverse kidney outcomes in adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2025.04.011Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode we review Major Depressive Disorder, a common mental disorder affecting millions of Americans. We explore who this disorder affects, what happens in the brain and body, and what treatments are available. We also get into the psychadellic substance psilocybin (psylocin) and how this breakthrough therapy may help those with Major Depressive Disorder.References:Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54, 170, 51-58. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt39443/2021NSDUHNNR122322/2021NSDUHNNR122322.htm#majorMarx, W., Penninx, B. W., Solmi, M., Furukawa, T. A., Firth, J., Carvalho, A. F., & Berk, M. (2023). Major depressive disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 9(1), 44. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-023-00454-1Daws, R. E., Timmermann, C., Giribaldi, B., Sexton, J. D., Wall, M. B., Erritzoe, D., ... & Carhart-Harris, R. (2022). Increased global integration in the brain after psilocybin therapy for depression. Nature medicine, 28(4), 844-851.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01744-zLing, S., Ceban, F., Lui, L. M., Lee, Y., Teopiz, K. M., Rodrigues, N. B., ... & McIntyre, R. S. (2022). Molecular mechanisms of psilocybin and implications for the treatment of depression. CNS drugs, 36(1), 17-30. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40263-021-00877-yKuypers, K. P. (2020). The therapeutic potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 10, 2045125320950567. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2045125320950567Metaxa, A. M., & Clarke, M. (2024). Efficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ, 385. https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj-2023-078084.abstractShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we explore the chronic inflammatory skin condition Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). With HS, hair follicles located in large skin creases like the armpits become inflamed and clogged. The units, called the pilosebaceous unit, fill with puss, rupture, and cause a host of problems for sufferers. We investigate what hidradenitis suppurativa is, who it affects, what goes wrong in the body, and what's being done about it.References:Schramm, E. & Bernhardt, M. (11 June, 2025). Modern Medicine is Transforming Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatment. On MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. [Podcast]. https://medevidence.com/modern-medicine-is-transforming-hidradenitis-suppurativa-treatmentBallard, K., & Shuman, V. (2024). Hidradenitis suppurativa. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534867/Saunte, D. M. L., & Jemec, G. B. E. (2017). Hidradenitis suppurativa: advances in diagnosis and treatment. Jama, 318(20), 2019-2032. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2664466Jemec, G. B. (2012). Hidradenitis suppurativa. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(2), 158-164. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMcp1014163Sabat, R., Alavi, A., Wolk, K., Wortsman, X., McGrath, B., Garg, A., & Szepietowski, J. C. (2025). Hidradenitis suppurativa. The Lancet, 405(10476), 420-438. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)02475-9/fulltextShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this episode we review what happens in dehydrtion, who may be at increased risk, and what happens to the body when it doesn't get enoug hwater. We also distinguish between two major types of dehydration; intracellular (without salt loss) and extracellular (with salt loss). Learn all about how this summer condition can lead to problems that feel as dangerous as being marooned on a desert isle!References:Cheuvront, S. N., & Kenefick, R. W. (2014). Dehydration: physiology, assessment, and performance effects. Comprehensive physiology, 4(1), 257-285. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/j.2040-4603.2014.tb00543.xStanding Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Panel on Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes, & Water. (2005). Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. National Academies Press.Puga, A. M., Lopez-Oliva, S., Trives, C., Partearroyo, T., & Varela-Moreiras, G. (2019). Effects of drugs and excipients on hydration status. Nutrients, 11(3), 669. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/669Taylor, K., Tripathi, A. K., & Jones, E. B. (2025). Adult dehydration. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

This week, we investigate the links between heart failure and obesity. We explore what heart failure is, the risks, and how it can have long-term impacts on health. We also look into obesity, some of it's causes, and how it can contribute to heart failure risks. We also look at he two-way street between heart failure and obesty and how each can contribute to the other in a feedback loop, and what may be done to break it.References:Upadhyay, J., Farr, O., Perakakis, N., Ghaly, W., & Mantzoros, C. (2018). Obesity as a disease. Medical Clinics, 102(1), 13-33. https://www.medical.theclinics.com/article/S0025-7125(17)30128-1/abstractGroenewegen, A., Rutten, F. H., Mosterd, A., & Hoes, A. W. (2020). Epidemiology of heart failure. European journal of heart failure, 22(8), 1342-1356. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejhf.1858Alpert, M. A., Lavie, C. J., Agrawal, H., Aggarwal, K. B., & Kumar, S. A. (2014). Obesity and heart failure: epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and management. Translational Research, 164(4), 345-356. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1931524414001340Kenchaiah, S., Evans, J. C., Levy, D., Wilson, P. W., Benjamin, E. J., Larson, M. G., ... & Vasan, R. S. (2002). Obesity and the risk of heart failure. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(5), 305-313. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa020245Horwich, T. B., Fonarow, G. C., & Clark, A. L. (2018). Obesity and the obesity paradox in heart failure. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 61(2), 151-156. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062018300951?via=ihubEbong, I. A., Goff Jr, D. C., Rodriguez, C. J., Chen, H., & Bertoni, A. G. (2014). Mechanisms of heart failure in obesity. Obesity research & clinical practice, 8(6), e540-e548. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871403X1300224XOreopoulos, A., Padwal, R., Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Fonarow, G. C., Norris, C. M., & McAlister, F. A. (2008). Body mass index and mortality in heart failure: a meta-analysis. American heart journal, 156(1), 13-22. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002870308001543Mahajan, R., Stokes, M., Elliott, A., Munawar, D. A., Khokhar, K. B., Thiyagarajah, A., ... & Sanders, P. F(2020). Complex interaction of obesity, intentional weight loss and heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart, 106(1), 58-68. https://www.proquest.com/docview/23482079Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most common cause of primary liver cancer. Curative treatments include surgery and transplant, but many patients don't know they have the disease until it's too late. In this week's article, we explore what HCC is, risks and complications of the disease, and what people can do to find out if they have signs of the HCC before it spreads too far.References:Koren, M.J. & Kapila, N. (Hosts). (2025). The liver: Common causes of complications, cirrhosis, and cancer. [Podcast Episode]. In MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. MedEvidence. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1926091/episodes/17268919El-Serag, H. B., & Davila, J. A. (2011). Surveillance for HepatoCellular Carcinoma: in whom and how?. Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology, 4(1), 5-10. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1756283X10385964Siegel, R. L., Kratzer, T. B., Giaquinto, A. N., Sung, H., & Jemal, A. (2025). Cancer statistics, 2025. Ca, 75(1), 10. https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21871Benson, A. B., D’Angelica, M. I., Abbott, D. E., Anaya, D. A., Anders, R., Are, C., ... & Darlow, S. D. (2021). Hepatobiliary cancers, version 2.2021, NCCN clinical practice guidelines in oncology. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 19(5), 541-565. https://jnccn.org/view/journals/jnccn/19/5/article-p541.xmlHeimbach, J. K., Kulik, L. M., Finn, R. S., Sirlin, C. B., Abecassis, M. M., Roberts, L. R., ... & Marrero, J. A. (2018). AASLD guidelines for the treatment of HepatoCellular Carcinoma. Hepatology, 67(1), 358-380.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28130846/Singal, A. G., Mittal, S., Yerokun, O. A., Ahn, C., Marrero, J. A., Yopp, A. C., ... & Scaglione, S. J. (2017). HepatoCellular Carcinoma screening associated with early tumor detection and improved survival among patients with cirrhosis in the US. The American journal of medicine, 130(9), 1099-1106. https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(17)30128-6/fulltextLlovet, J. M., Pinyol, R., Kelley, R. K., El-Khoueiry, A., Reeves, H. L., Wang, X. W., ... & Villanueva, A. (2022). Molecular pathogenesis and systemic therapies for HepatoCellular Carcinoma. Nature cancer, 3(4), 386-401. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-022-00357-2Hanahan, D., & Weinberg, R. A. (2000). The hallmarks of cancer. Cell, 100(1), 57-70.https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(00)81683-9Nathani, P., Gopal, P., Rich, N., Yopp, A., Yokoo, T., John, B., ... & Singal, A. G. (2021). HepatoCellular Carcinoma tumour volume doublingShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this week's episode, we look into the history of Hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus spread far and wide during the era before modern sterilization and screening, infecting millions. We look into the history, risks, symptoms (many have none!), and complications of hepatitis C. Finally, we look at how far treatment has progressed and what's coming up on the horizon.References:Khalili, M., & Burman, B. (2014). Liver disease. In Hammer, G. D., & McPhee, S. J. (Eds.). Pathophysiology Of Disease An Introduction To Clinical Medicine (7th ed., pp. 385-425). McGraw-Hill Education.https://archive.org/details/PathophysiologyOfDiseaseAnIntroductionToClinicalMedicine7thEdPDFtahir99VRG/page/410/mode/1up?view=theaterShiffman, M. (Ed.). (2012).  Chronic Hepatitis C Virus: Advances in Treatment, Promise for the Future. Springer Science+Business Media. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1192-5_1 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4614-1192-5Koren, M.J. & Kapila, N. (Hosts). (2025). The liver: Common causes of complications, cirrhosis, and cancer. [Podcast Episode]. In MedEvidence! Truth Behind the Data. MedEvidence. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1926091/episodes/17268919Rosen, H. R. (2011). Chronic hepatitis C infection. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(25), 2429-2438. https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMcp1006613Oancea, C. N., Butaru, A. E., Streba, C. T., Pirici, D., Rogoveanu, I., Diculescu, M. M., & Gheonea, D. I. (2021). Global hepatitis C elimination: history, evolution, revolutionary changes and barriers to overcome. Romanian Journal of Morphology and Embryology, 61(3), 643. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8112794/Good, S. S., Luo, S., Lin, K., Vo, A., Agrawal, N. G., & Sommadossi, J. P. (2025). Bemnifosbuvir and ruzasvir in combination exhibit potent synergistic antiviral activity in vitro while maintaining a favorable nonclinical safety profile in vivo. Antiviral Research, 237, 106137. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354225000634Share with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!

In this episode, we delve into the science and struggle behind social anxiety disorder. This condition affects millions of people and often begins in childhood. We explore how the brain’s fear circuitry becomes overactive, and common treatments like SSRIs. We also highlight an intriguing new treatment being tested: a nasal spray of pheromone-like compounds aimed at calming fear responses.References:Leichsenring, F., & Leweke, F. (2017). Social anxiety disorder. New England Journal of Medicine, 376(23), 2255-2264. https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMcp1614701American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Social anxiety disorder. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Stein, D. J., Lim, C. C., Roest, A. M., De Jonge, P., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A., ... & WHO World Mental Health Survey Collaborators. (2017). The cross-national epidemiology of social anxiety disorder: Data from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. BMC medicine, 15, 1-21. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12916-017-0889-2Grant, B. F., Hasin, D. S., Blanco, C., Stinson, F. S., Chou, S. P., Goldstein, R. B., ... & Huang, B. (2005). The epidemiology of social anxiety disorder in the United States: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(11), 1351-1361. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16420070/Fox, A. S., & Kalin, N. H. (2014). A translational neuroscience approach to understanding the development of social anxiety disorder and its pathophysiology. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(11), 1162-1173. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14040449Stein, M. B., & Andrews, A. M. (2015). Serotonin states and social anxiety. JAMA psychiatry, 72(8), 845-847. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2319710Williams, T., McCaul, M., Schwarzer, G., Cipriani, A., Stein, D. J., & Ipser, J. (2020). Pharmacological treatments for social anxiety disorder in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Acta Neuropsychiatrica, 32(4), 169-176. https://doi.org/10.1017/neu.2020.6Kaminski, R. M., Marini, H., Ortinski, P. I., Vicini, S., & Rogawski, M. A. (2006). The pheromone androstenol (5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol) is a neurosteroid positive modulator of GABAA receptors. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 317(2), 694-703. https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/article/S0022-3565(24)32659-X/abstractLiebowitz, M. R., Salman, E., Nicolini, H., Rosenthal, N., Hanover, R., & Monti, L. (2014). Effect of an acuShare with a friend. Rate, Review, and Subscribe to MedEvidence! Articles to be notified when new episodes are released.Follow us on Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInTiktokYoutubeFor more great content, including discussions by physicians and clinical research experts, check out the MedEvidence! Podcast and MedEvidence.comThank you for listening!