Obesity impairs the brain's response to nutrients Brain responses to specific nutrients are diminished in individuals with obesity and are not improved after weight loss, according to a study led by Amsterdam UMC and Yale University, published today in Nature Metabolism.
Bottom reached in restrictive blood transfusion policy The trend in hospitals and guidelines is to be more and more cautious with blood transfusions. Due to side effects associated with blood transfusion and the increasing scarcity and costs of blood products. For example, in recent years the number of patients receiving a transfusion during their ICU admission has halved. Researchers from Amsterdam UMC, in collaboration with eight other Dutch hospitals and funded ZonMW, have shown that being increasingly restrictive in preventive blood transfusion is not, in all cases, understandable. The results of this study are published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Gender-affirming hormone therapy reduces psychological distress in transgender people Gender-affirming hormone therapy reduces depressive symptoms and psychological distress in transgender people, according to a systematic review of research in this field. The study, led by Amsterdam UMC and the University of Exeter, reviewed 46 relevant journal articles and is published today in Nature Human Behaviour.
Cardiovascular diseases affect everyone, but not equally For the last ten years, Amsterdam UMC's has studied more than 25,000 residents of Amsterdam in order to discover the genetic differences in various illnesses. High blood pressure is one of the health problems that leads to cardiovascular illnesses.
Access to Healthcare is long not an equal playing field While research from Amsterdam UMC has consistently demonstrated that migrants are more likely to have health problems than the ethnic Dutch population, there are still countless problems around the accessibility of health care: in and outside of the Netherlands. Associate professor at Amsterdam UMC, Jeanine Suurmond has spent the last 20 years researching the various barriers to the health care system. Her research shows that these barriers exist at all stages of life: at the end, in the beginning as well as throughout the various screening programmes that we all are subject to throughout our life.
Gender Equality is the basis of the future Higher rates of poverty, more mental health problems and more often the victims of violence. Women are also less likely to have access to good quality food and education. In the eyes of Tessa Roseboom, Professor of Early Development and Health at Amsterdam UMC, although "only" half of the world's population is female, gender equality affects all of us.
Knowledge is needed to prevent mental health problems Mental health problems such as depression, trauma and addiction are rising across the western world. The WHO estimated in 2019 that one in eight suffered from mental health problems. With this expected to rise in the coming years. Research from Amsterdam UMC has recently shone a light on the causes as well as the ethnic differences among those who suffer from mental health problems.
Leadless pacemakers soon available for all patients Every year more than one million people receive a pacemaker. Until now, leadless versions were only available for 20% of these patients. However, thanks to an international consortium led by Amsterdam UMC, an improved version will soon be available for all patients. The results of this clinical trial are, today, published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Vegan mothers' breastmilk contains two important nutrients A vegan diet does not affect maternal breastmilk concentrations of vitamin B2 and carnitine, nutrients essential for the developing infant. These are the results of an Amsterdam UMC study, presented today at the 55th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).
