Temporary benefit for immune system in early HIV treatment, but dysregulation returns Despite effective HIV medication, the immune system of people with HIV remains disrupted in the long term. Researchers at Amsterdam UMC investigated whether this dysregulation can be prevented by starting HIV medication immediately after infection – i.e. within a few days. They saw that six months after this early treatment, the immune system did indeed work as in people without HIV. But in the longer term, the immune system was disrupted again. This is shown by research by Amsterdam UMC, published in the journal EBioMedicine.
Transgender women do not have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke Contrary to previous research, transgender women who use the hormone oestradiol for their transition do not have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke compared to men in the general Dutch population. This is shown by a large-scale study from Amsterdam UMC, with data from more than 4,000 transgender individuals, published today in the European Heart Journal. The researchers suspect that the hormone treatment transgender women receive has a protective effect on the heart and blood vessels.
Hunting for the Crohn's Holy Grail Crohn's disease turns the lives of young patients upside down. Work, relationships, children: often all three need to put on hold. Jean-Frédéric Colombel's mission is to give these patients their lives back. Through medication, operations, prevention, but preferably by finding the ultimate cause and cure. He will give an update about his search for this holy grail during the Anatomy Lesson, on 20 November in the Concertgebouw.
Addition of Progesterone Leads to Increased Breast Growth for Transgender Women The addition of the hormone progesterone to gender-affirming hormone therapy leads to increased breast growth for transgender people following feminising hormone therapy. This is demonstrated by an Amsterdam UMC-led trial among 90 participants and these results are presented today at the European Professional Association for Transgender Health (EPATH) annual congress in Hamburg.
Concerns about independence of US guidelines for treatment of childhood obesity The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is not transparent about the creation of its guideline for childhood obesity medication. The scientific substantiation appears to be limited, and the AAP appears to have financial ties with pharmaceutical companies that produce this medication, which were not mentioned in the guidelines. This is the conclusion of researchers from Amsterdam UMC, VU Amsterdam, the University of California and the University of Colorado, which is published today.
International research into local healthcare solutions in Kenya, Ghana and Uganda Building primary care for the chronically ill together with local stakeholders, so that this care fits seamlessly with the environment. That is the idea behind M-CARE, a five-year international research project in Kenya, Ghana and Uganda that starts today, thanks to a Horizon Grant worth four million euros. Project leader Charles Agyemang: "Healthcare providers, patients, administrators: we want to hear all those voices, so that we know exactly what is going on."
Video consultations are faster, cheaper and more sustainable for patients A video consultation between patient and surgeon is just as good as a physical visit to the outpatient clinic to discuss a major operation. This is evident from research by Amsterdam UMC, demonstrated that a video consultation is just as good as a physical consultation in terms of information uptake. Alongside this finding, patients save an average of two hours of travel time and waiting time per consultation, incur no costs for travel and parking, and reduce their ecological footprint. The CO₂ emissions of a video consultation are 99 percent lower than those of a physical hospital visit. The results were published today in The Lancet Digital Health.
Proof of concept for Amsterdam UMC-led HIV vaccination Worldwide, an estimated 40 million people live with HIV, two-thirds living on the African continent. In 2023, more than 600,000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.32 million became infected. There is no vaccine against the world's second most deadly infection – only tuberculosis kills more people. However, researchers from Amsterdam UMC have taken an important step towards reaching the goal of an HIV vaccine. The results of their phase one trial are published today in Science.
No increased risk of gynaecological cancer with testosterone use in the first years Transmasculine and gender-diverse individuals who use testosterone are not at increased risk of gynecological cancer in the first years of hormone therapy. This is evident from large-scale research by Amsterdam UMC, which was published today in eClinicalMedicine. The results provide important insights for healthcare providers and transmasculine and gender-diverse individuals who are considering starting hormone therapy.
New test diagnoses bacterial meningitis faster and better Researchers at Amsterdam UMC have developed a new diagnostic test that can quickly and accurately diagnose bacterial meningitis. The test measures the CRP protein in cerebrospinal fluid, a protein that is already often tested in blood to detect bacterial infections. Research shows that elevated CRP in cerebrospinal fluid is a very reliable indicator of bacterial meningitis. Currently it often takes a long time before meningitis is diagnosed, which delays the start of adequate treatment. The study is published today in The Lancet Regional Health Europe.
