Articles related to CLINICAL STUDY

This summary of a January 2023 JACC article highlights the study finding that rosuvastatin was “vastly superior to… any of the six supplements studied in the trial.” The study compared rosuvastatin to cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, red yeast rice, fish oil, and plant sterols. Rosuvastatin yielded a reduction in cholesterol of nearly 38 percent in just 28 days. The supplements had little to no effect but were significantly more costly than the statin.

A 12-month controlled trial randomized 189 individuals to spend 70–90 minutes performing 11 exercises or 20–30 minutes performing 5 exercises for 3 months. Outcomes were measured biweekly for the intervention period and again at 6 and 12 months. The two approaches were similar, except for one outcome. In the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for function in sports and recreation, high-dose therapy was superior.

In addition to the improvements in gait and balance, all individuals, including those who combined a Mediterranean diet with a placebo, improved their endurance after four months, according to the pilot study published in Food & Function.

Shift work has previously been linked to an increased risk of developing MS, presumably due to the resulting sleep deprivation and circadian desynchrony. The current study compared sleeping 7–9 hours/night during adolescence, with less than 7 hours/night and found a 40% increase in risk for developing MS in the short-sleep cohort. The authors conclude that “insufficient sleep and low sleep quality during adolescence seem to increase the risk of subsequently developing MS.”

The number and quality of available studies on ketamine plus psychotherapy are limited because of the newness of the therapy. However, in the 4 studies deemed eligible for review, ketamine plus psychotherapy—regardless of protocol—was associated with significant symptom reduction.

According to the findings of the study, gabapentin should not be used on a regular basis. Individualization is required, based on the type of pain and the risk of delirium. If gabapentin is used to control postoperative pain, it must be closely monitored for the development of delirium. Low-dose opioids, along with nonpharmacologic pain management strategies such as postoperative physical therapy and mobilization, can still be used safely in the study population. Rather than relying on a single medication, a more holistic approach to postoperative pain control in the hospital setting is required.