Phase Two results with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing support further development as treatment for hereditary angioedema A single treatment with, a CRISPR-Cas9 based gene editing therapy, is enough to replace the daily medication of patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE), a condition characterized by severe, painful and sudden onset of swelling, sometimes resulting in death. Confirming the findings published earlier this year from researchers from Amsterdam UMC, the University of Auckland and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This phase two study is published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology's annual congress on the 26th of October.
Predicting epilepsy after rare stroke Researchers from 15 countries, led by Amsterdam UMC, have developed a way to predict which patients are at risk of epilepsy after a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT). CVT is a type of stroke that typically affects women between the ages of 20 and 50. The prediction model is now available worldwide free of charge and research it is based on is published in JAMA Neurology.
Genetic background of pregnant women can influence the result of the Non-Invasive Prenatal Test Non-Invasive Prenatal Tests (NIPTs) are increasingly an integral part of screening during pregnancies across the world. Research from Amsterdam UMC shows that a pregnant woman's genetic background influences the effectiveness of the test. Data from over 140,000 administered tests in the Netherlands shows that a specific genetic variant, carried by about 7% of women in The Netherlands, increases the odds of inconclusive results and impairs the sensitivity of NIPT. These results are published today in Cell Reports.
Mental health issues are a common phenomenon in elite sport Nearly three-quarters of Dutch elite athletes and forty percent of their coaches report sport-related distress. This is one of the findings from a study conducted by Amsterdam UMC together with NOC*NSF, the organisation which represents the Dutch Olympic Committee and the Dutch Sport Federation, published today in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
Creating an environment where everyone can reach their full potential Firmly based on the scientific insights we gained about human health, fueled by our moral ambition to contribute to society through science, Amsterdam UMC wants to take responsibility as the biggest academic medical center in the Netherlands, to contribute to an international movement that takes the interests of future generations into account. In order to facilitate this, Amsterdam UMC appointed this year its first Future Generations Commissioner, Tessa Roseboom, professor of Early Development and Health.
A step forward in the battle against MRSA Staphylococcus aureus, mostly known from its antibiotic-resistant variant Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is among the leading causes of both community- and hospital-acquired infections. According to the most recent data, MRSA killed around 120,000 people in 2022 globally and far more are killed by antibiotic-susceptible strains of S. aureus. So far however, all attempts at developing a protective vaccine for S. aureus have been unsuccessful. Research from Amsterdam UMC, in collaboration with UMC Utrecht, Leiden University, and the University of California, San Diego, have discovered an important immune component that offers protection against infection, suggesting a new direction for the future. These results are published today in Cell Reports Medicine.
Digital consultations improve the rate at which patients receive optimal medication Patients with heart failure, a condition affecting more than 60 million worldwide, are four times more likely to receive the optimal combination of medications after 12 weeks of digital consultations. Researchers from five Dutch hospitals, coordinated by Amsterdam UMC, found that the use of digital consults improved care while maintaining patient satisfaction. These results are published today in Nature Medicine and simultaneously presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology.
Amsterdam UMC starts national study to reduce risk of recurrence of a heart attack Every year, more than 30,000 people in the Netherlands end up in hospital after a heart attack. Some of them have had a heart attack before. There are several medications available that can reduce the risk of a new heart attack, but they are currently not used optimally. In Amsterdam UMC a major study has just begun with the goal of developing a renewed preventive approach.
Arm robots are not the answer for stroke rehabilitation Commercial arm robots are increasingly deployed in order to aid stroke patients in their recovery. Around 80% of patients have problems with their arm function. Robots are also seen as a solution for financial, and staffing, shortcomings in the healthcare sector. However, research led by Amsterdam UMC now shows that they offer no clinically meaningful effects for patients. The research is published today in Neurology.
Amsterdam UMC As being a large organisation, Amsterdam UMC has thousands of employees working on the four core tasks: high-quality patient care, innovative scientific research, education and valorisation to reach societal impact. What is going on in Amsterdam UMC, take a look!
