Articles related to Internal Medicine

Although vaccinations to the arm can still prevent serious illness, their ability to ward off infection completely has been diminished. And part of the reason may be the location of the vaccines, which some scientists now want to change by delivering inoculations to the site where the virus first makes contact: the nose. Three separate nasal sprays, now in advanced trials, could trigger stronger immune responses in people who have COVID-19.

How does the diagnostic performance of home antigen tests change during the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection? Symptomatic individuals with an initial negative home antigen test result for SARS-CoV-2 infection should test again one to two days later because test sensitivity seems to peak several days after illness onset.

Cannabis use increases the likelihood that patients will develop several negative health conditions, such as insomnia, anxiety, psychosis, and depression. As such, cannabis use should be prescribed carefully by physicians.

A newly developed prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (agents that increase endogenous erythropoietin production) holds the promise of improving outcomes for patients with anemia of chronic kidney disease. Randomized controlled trials have found these drugs to be at least as effective as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

The lipid metabolism plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. However, little has been known about the molecular relationships. But now, a set of lipids have been statistically associated with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Capsule endoscopy, also known as wireless capsule endoscopy or video capsule endoscopy, is a noninvasive procedure that uses a swallowed capsule-shaped miniature camera for direct visual and diagnostic evaluation of various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. Although originally intended as a tool to examine the small intestine, which is mostly beyond the reach of conventional endoscopy, capsule endoscopy is now being used to examine the entire length of the GI tract.