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.
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Yahoo! News
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Flu activity is on the rise, norovirus cases are spiking and ER visits for COVID are down: What to know about these winter illnesses
‘Tis the season for gathering inside and being surrounded by loved ones — which, unfortunately, makes it much easier to spread and catch the flu, norovirus, COVID-19 and RSV. And it’s not just cuddling by an open fire that puts you at risk: The hallmarks of the winter season, including lower temperatures, low humidity and indoor heating systems, also create the perfect conditions for viruses to thrive, while leaving our dried-out mucous membranes more vulnerable. The most recent CDC data shows emergency department visits related to COVID-19 nationwide as “low” or “minimal,” and Robert Murphy, MD, professor of infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life that deaths from COVID-19 have been “hovering between 50 to 60 per day for the past several weeks” — down from around 200 per day in 2023. There aren’t any antivirals for RSV, so the CDC recommends that you manage symptoms at home with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers along with lots of fluids, and to contact a health care provider if you have difficulty breathing or if symptoms worsen.
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Fox News
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Experts On Aging Reveal The 5 Major Habits That Will Improve Your Longevity
Remaining healthy and sharp are goals for most people as they age. But one group of people — known as “SuperAgers” — is said to have this all down as they go through life, even into their later years. Experts stress that SuperAgers are not the same as people with good longevity, with the main difference between them being one’s brain. Studies show that SuperAgers’ brains resemble those of much younger people. Specifically, less brain volume loss is seen in SuperAgers in comparison to a person who just has good longevity, according to Northwestern Medicine, an affiliate with Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. For example, someone who is, say, 87 years old with good longevity, may have a brain that also matches their age. Tamar Gefen, an assistant professor at the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at the Feinberg School of Medicine, noted that “there is no special trick to becoming a SuperAger — at least not yet.” How people go about accomplishing these qualities can be vastly different. “For some, it is drinking a beer [or a few] at night. For others, it’s abstaining from vices. Some are still running successful businesses, while others have been retired for years,” Gefen said. ”I suppose the common denominator is that most appear to be socially active or engage in continuous, meaningful activity. But there are exceptions.” The main 5 things that are key practices include moving your body regularly, engaging in social activities, doing what you can to reduce controllable stress, challenging your brain, and making time for the things you enjoy.
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Fox News
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Feeling extra tired? This virus could be the culprit, study suggests
People who have had COVID-19 are more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome, officially known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). That’s according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine earlier this month, which found that 4.5% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, developed chronic fatigue. ME/CFS is a “complex, serious and chronic condition that often occurs following an infection,” the NIH wrote. The condition is marked by “new-onset fatigue” that lasts for at least six months and impairs the person’s ability to engage in ordinary activities. Another symptom is “post-exertional malaise,” in which the person feels extreme fatigue after physical or mental activity, the study stated. Many of these symptoms are also associated with long COVID, the researchers wrote. The researchers called for early recognition and proper management of ME/CFS, which she said can be “life-changing” for patients.
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Flu is rising nationwide, CDC reports, with spikes in ER visits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released some new flu data to the public on Friday, despite the Trump administration’s halt of nearly all scientific communication coming from federal health agencies. As of the week ending on Jan. 18, the percentage of tests that came back positive for the flu was 25%, up from 19% the week before. Emergency departments are also seeing an increasing number of people sick with flu, especially babies, older children and teens. Of overall visits to the ER, 5.2% were for the flu and were close to reaching the surge hospitals saw before the winter holidays. The FluView report also usually includes information on the spread of H5N1, or bird flu. In the absence of the report, the CDC opted to updated its page on the ongoing bird flu outbreak. No new human cases were reported, despite a rising number of wild birds sickened by the virus. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Robert J. Havey Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University, said it’s crucial for the CDC and other federal health agencies to be free to report on the fast-moving bird flu outbreak. “It’s changing literally by the hour,” he said. “Are we supposed to just forget about that?” The fact that the CDC didn’t release its usual flu report on Friday should not be a cause for major alarm, experts said. And it’s not unprecedented for the FluView to be delayed. It was previously released after its scheduled time because of the national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.
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New York Times
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6 Things We Get Wrong About Sleep
There’s no question that sleep is important for your health. Without enough of it, your risk of developing diseases such as dementia, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes can increase, and you’re more likely to feel irritable and anxious. If you’ve experienced long-term sleep deprivation, you might have felt as if your body eventually adjusted. You can find ways to cope with less sleep, like drinking caffeine or skipping late-night activities, said Ian Katznelson, MD, a neurologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital and clinical assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. But that doesn’t mean you’ll actually sidestep the negative effects of little rest, which can include worsened memory, mood swings and diminished creativity. Poor-quality, short sleep isn’t good for you, but oversleeping can be linked to health problems, too, experts said. Adults should generally aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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US News & World Report
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A Patient’s Guide to Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer, mostly diagnosed in older people, is the second leading cause of cancer death and the third most common cancer in the United States. In recent years, it’s become the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women under 50. A colonoscopy is the most common tool used for screening. This medical procedure examines the inner lining of the colon and rectum to screen for polyps or other abnormalities using a colonoscope, a long catheter with a camera attached to one end. Once the stage of cancer is determined, a strategy for treatment can be planned and implemented. All patients should get a second opinion and, if possible, be treated at a cancer center where there’s greater access to cutting-edge therapies, technology, research and clinical trials, advises Ashley Hardy, MD, a surgical oncologist at Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group in Illinois. clinical assistant professor of surgery (surgical oncology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
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NPR
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Move aside, BMI: There’s a better way to define obesity, commission finds
An international committee of scientists has proposed a change to the way obesity is defined and diagnosed. The goal is to offer a more nuanced and objective way to assess body composition, by adding more metrics, such as waist circumference, to the criteria.The current BMI-based measure of obesity can both overestimate and underestimate how much body fat a person has, explains Robert Kushner, MD, an endocrinologist at Northwestern University who is part of the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission. “About 40% of the adult population in America has obesity, when it’s defined solely by BMI,” Kushner says. But do all of these millions of Americans have a disease? And do they all need treatment? Kushner says the commission aims to give some clarity to the confusion.
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ABC News
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New report proposes redefining obesity by adding body fat and health status to BMI
New guidance from a team of health experts around the world proposes expanding the definition of obesity beyond the popular body mass index (BMI) measure. The new guidance comes from the Commission on Clinical Obesity, which is led by dozens of medical experts from various medical specialties around the world. The commission recommends the inclusion of body fat measurements and the presence of existing health issues — and cautions against using BMI alone as an individual measure of health. Pre-clinical obesity refers to excess fat without organ dysfunction but increased risk of developing clinical obesity and other long-term health problems such as cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes. “In other words, their organs are functioning well. They have no metabolic diseases, and they have a fairly good quality of life,” said Robert Kushner, MD, a commissioner and professor of medicine and medical education at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, in an interview with ABC news.
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The New York Times
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What to Know About Covid Right Now
There are few constants when it comes to Covid, but one thing has held true over the years: Cases climb in the winter. In the weeks after the holidays, especially, more people tend to get sick, as we spend time together indoors, sharing germs and spreading infections. Complicating matters is that a slew of other illnesses are spreading rapidly in the United States right now: the flu, respiratory syncytial virus, whooping cough, walking pneumonia. “It’s a cornucopia of a lot of different things this year,” said Marc Sala, MD, a co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Covid-19 Center in Chicago.
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ABC 7 Chicago
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Seal, flamingo die from bird flu at Lincoln Park Zoo, officials say
A harbor seal and a Chilean flamingo died from the bird flu this month at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, officials said. The flamingo died January 8 and the seal died January 9, the Lincoln Park Zoo said. The cause of death for both animals has been confirmed as highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, the zoo said. “Hundreds of millions of birds have died from Bird Flu. It’s been really devastating,” said Robert Murphy, a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Infectious Diseases. “The seal is that’s a new one. Nobody really has heard of that before.” Thankfully, no human to human transition has occurred. “We haven’t hit the red button yet, so there’s no human to human transmission noted to date,” Dr. Murphy said. “But that is the fear that everybody has, that it will mutate at some point, and then we have to worry about it.” Dr. Murphy said stockpiled vaccines are available in case in spreads in humans, but there is not a vaccine for animals and experts say there is no easy test for bird flu. Lincoln Park Zoo is taking many precautions, including closing the McCormick Bird House, but, zoo officials stress visitors are safe and they are not at risk of contracting the virus from the animals.
