Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
-
–
Long COVID Doubles Risk of Some Serious Outcomes in Children, Teens: Study
CDC researchers report that children and teenagers with long COVID have about twice the risk of getting serious outcomes, compared to others without COVID. Heart inflammation; a blood clot in the lung; or a blood clot in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis were the most common bad outcomes in a new study. “the message that we should take away from this is that we should be very keen on all the methods of prevention for COVID, especially the vaccine” says Stuart Berger, MD, chief of cardiology in the division of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Compared to kids with no history of a COVID-19 diagnosis, the long COVID-19 group was 101% more likely to have a blood clot in the lung, 99% more likely to have heart muscle inflammation, 87% more likely to have a blood clot in a vein, 32% more likely to have acute and unspecified renal failure and 23% were more likely to have type 1 diabetes. Berger continues to express that the long-term effects of long COVID-19 are real, concerning and potentially very serious.
-
US News & World Report
–
AHA News: What Parents Can Do to Protect Kids From Heart Disease
According to a recent study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, only 2.2% of 2- to 19- year-olds had “optimal” scores on a scoring system that included diet, physical activity and body mass index. And while nearly 57% of 2- to 5-year-olds had high scores, among 11- to 19-year-olds, that fell to 14%. Protecting a child’s heart health can begin with a focus on a mother’s health during or even before pregnancy, said Dr. Amanda Marma Perak, assistant professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at Northwestern University and senior author of the Circulation study. She recently helped write an update to the scoring system for heart health now known as Life’s Essential 8. It weighs eight contributors to heart health for children and adults: diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body weight, blood lipids, blood glucose and blood pressure.
-
Reuters
–
U.S. regulators defend requiring more data on monkeypox drug
As U.S. monkeypox cases rise, U.S. health agencies in a medical journal article defended their decision to require human trial data to show that SIGA Technologies’ experimental drug TPOXX is safe and effective to treat the virus. In 2018 the FDA approved TPOXX for smallpox in adults and children based on studies of animals infected with monkeypox and rabbitpox, as well as safety in healthy people. NIH is planning a U.S.-based random clinical trial to study TPOXX. On July 21, the CDC and FDA began allowing doctors to prescribe the drug before the trial paperwork is completed, but still requires approval of a hospital’s institutional review board for each dose. “It’s definitely better. It’s still very burdensome,” said Dr. Karen Krueger, assistant professor in infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who said there is additional paperwork after the patient visit and for several follow-up visits. “It’s doable, but certainly a lot more challenging than how we normally prescribe drugs.” Northwestern has treated at least 20 monkeypox patients with TPOXX and will be one of the sites for the NIH trial.
-
New York Times
–
More Men Are Seeking Out Testosterone Tests. Are They Getting Duped?
Men have been drawn to virility enhancement for centuries, either to treat diseases or restore youthful vigor. Today, many have turned to increasing their testosterone levels to give them confidence, fight aging raise physical or mental performance and generally help them feel their best. Typically this starts with testing, then often leads to testosterone replacement therapy through a doctor or specialized “low T” clinic. During the pandemic, however, more men struggling with feelings of malaise have turned to virtual options for testosterone testing and treatment, spurring interest in what was already a $1.7 billion industry. “It’s really never been easier to pursue some of these diagnostic tests and treatments,” said Dr. Joshua Halpern, assistant professor of urology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. But, he added, while online services can increase access to quality care, they also have the potential to harm. Over time, testosterone therapy can suppress a man’s natural ability to produce the hormone and lead to infertility.
-
WebMD
–
Are Mini Robots Coming to a Hospital Near You?
Northwestern University scientists have built a super-small robot crab that could one day carry out delicate surgical tasks – entering your body to suture small, ruptured arteries, clear clogged arteries or track down cancerous tumors. Making a flea-sized robot crab is “pretty simple” says bioelectronics engineer John Rogers, PhD, who led the research and is a professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It will likely take years before robot crabs are helping cardiac surgical teams or suturing organs. However, the work is exciting and impactful. “This is early-stage exploratory work,” Rogers says. “We are trying to introduce ideas as part of a broader community of researchers pursuing micro-robotic technologies, with the hope that over time, these technologies will ultimately lead to practical clinical uses for surgical purposes. It’s very much a starting point.”
-
CBS Chicago
–
Gov. Pritzker declares monkeypox virus outbreak in Illinois a Public Health Emergency
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday declared the monkeypox virus a public health emergency, and declared Illinois a disaster area regarding the disease. As of Monday, a total of 520 monkeypox cases have been reported in Illinois. Kissing, hugging and sexual contact are the most common ways it spreads. “It can also be spread if left on bed sheets, or clothing, or eating utensils – things like that – and then those things are shared with another individual,” said Karen Kreuger, professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She said catching monkeypox in the air – such as by being in big crowds – is less likely, but possible. “The majority of people are able to manage their symptoms at home and kind of just ride through the course,” said Krueger.
-
USA Today
–
From false stereotypes to ‘the stares,’ bisexual people face a unique bias – even in the LGBTQ community
Lauren Beach, a research assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said bisexuals face stigma from straight, gay and lesbian people who lack access to a broader “Bi+” community made up of bisexuals and people who experience attraction regardless of gender, also called pansexual. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine research found bisexual people report higher rates of poor mental health compared to straight, gay and lesbian people. LGBTQ resources, like support groups, are less likely to focus on bisexual needs, according to Beach, and that can further isolate bisexual people.
-
US News & World Report
–
More Young Americans Are Dying of Heart Failure
A growing number of younger American adults are dying of heart failure, with Black Americans being the hardest-hit, a new study finds. Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart muscle cannot pump blood as well as it should, leading to symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness and swelling in the legs. The condition is treatable, but it can prove deadly if it progresses to a severe stage. As for the racial disparity, experts called this worrying, but not unexpected. It’s well known that heart failure disproportionately affects Black Americans. “To me, this is alarming. There’s a striking disparity in heart failure death rates,” said Dr. Nilay Shah, assistant professor of cardiology of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In a study Shah and his colleagues published this year, they found that younger Black Americans were at heightened risk of premature heart disease. And the gap seemed to be explained by both clinical factors (like high blood pressure) and social ones – including lower education levels and poverty.
-
The Washington Post
–
Biden ends his covid isolation, urging Americans to get vaccinated
President Biden emerged from his covid-19 isolation on Wednesday saying his mild case was a testament to his administration’s progress on a pandemic that has killed more than 1 million Americans, and he urged people to take advantage of vaccine boosters, antivirals and at-home tests so they, too, could have mild infections. Yet experts say many Americans now avoid testing altogether because of the disruption an infection could cause, whether it’s missed travel or an inability to get paid time off work. “There are so many people who would like to just decide to put a mask on and hope things go well and continue on with their lives for various financial reasons,” said Mercedes Carnethon, professor and vice chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Carnethon added that Biden’s early diagnosis and treatment with Paxlovid was crucial to his mild infection. “If we can detect it early and treat it early, we can help ensure that more people have an experience like [Biden’s]. But there are many people who for structural reasons, access, financial barriers, aren’t going to be able to be diagnosed as early as he was,” Carnethon said.
-
WBEZ Chicago
–
Because of Texas abortion law, her wanted pregnancy became a medical nightmare
New, untested abortion bans have made doctors unsure about treating some pregnancy complications, which has led to life-threatening delays and trapped families in a limbo of grief and helplessness. Elizabeth Weller, and her husband James, became pregnant early in 2022. Things went smoothly at first, until at 18 weeks, the watery, protective cushion of amniotic fluid in her uterus was gone. There was still a fetal heartbeat, but it could stop at any moment. Among other risks, both the fetus and Elizabeth were now highly vulnerable to a uterine infection called chorioamnionitis. Elizabeth felt panicked because of the new abortion rules, specifically how the exemptions that exist for the woman’s life or health, are vague or left undefined. “It’s terrible,” says Dr. Alan Peaceman, a professor of maternal-fetal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “The care providers are treading on eggshells. They don’t want to get sucked into a legal morass. And so they don’t even know what the rules are.” Although experiencing cramps passing clots of blood because of Texas law, aborting the pregnancy was not simple and healthcare workers needed to wait until she had the right symptoms of a growing infection in her uterus. “That’s torture to have to carry a pregnancy which has such a low chance of survival,” says Dr. Peaceman.
