Media Coverage

A woman started experiencing uncomfortable episodes of fear, which she thought were panic attacks. Then there was brain fog, which was subtle at first but got to the point where she had to really focus to be a part of a conversation. The woman, Kim Grau, finally received a diagnosis after suffering a grand mal seizure, a type that involves the entire body. Grau had a tumor growing deep in her brain. The tumor was causing seizures, which lead to some of the strange symptoms she experienced, said Dr. Matthew Tate, a neurosurgeon at Northwestern Medicine and associate professor of neurological surgery and neurology, who removed the growth last year.

People who get a mild case of COVID usually recover in a week or two. But a new study from Northwestern Medicine found COVID long haulers are still dealing with symptoms 15 months after their initial infection. The study discovered fatigue, brain fog, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, a ringing in the ears and numbness were still big problems for patients, even though they were never hospitalized for COVID. Northwestern researchers found the sense of taste and smell improved for long haulers after six to nine months, but they had more issues with heart rate, blood pressure and gastrointestinal symptoms.

A follow-up study by the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic finds that long-haulers are experiencing symptoms like brain fog, numbness, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and fatigue on average 15 months after the onset of the disease. According to Dr. Igor Koralnik, chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine, “As new variants emerge and the number of patients impacted by long COVID rises, we’re now focusing our research on understanding the root cause of long COVID. We’re also devising interventions to improve the management of those patients and find the best treatment options for them.” The Northwestern clinic has treated nearly 1,400 long-haulers from across the U.S.

News sites shared a study in Australia that claimed it found the ’cause’ of sudden infant death syndrome: a biochemical marker that could help identify babies at risk of death. But physician-scientists who have devoted their careers to studying SIDS say the study’s findings are, perhaps understandably, being overblown by people desperate for good news on infant deaths. However, the study was found to have a small sample size and must be replicated in a larger group before it can be taken seriously. According to Debra E. Weese-Mayer, MD, professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “Other studies have found factors after the child has died…is it a perfect study? No. But if you’re careful not to over-interpret the results, it does add a possible new piece to the puzzle of SIDS.”

There’s no cure for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But there are things you can do to stay active, breathe easier, and live longer — even if your condition is more advanced. According to Benjamin J. Seides, MD, MPH, health system clinician of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, if you smoke, quit. “There’s nothing that we can do, medically or surgically, that is going to be as beneficial to managing and improving your COPD as stopping smoking,” he said. Further, he recommends avoiding lung irritants at home and work, eating healthy and staying active, and getting vaccines for flu, COVID-19, and pneumococcal diseases.

Parkinson’s is caused by a chronic deficiency in dopamine, which triggers increasing muscle stiffness tremors, difficulties with speaking, fatigue, dizziness and a loss of coordination and balance. Patients’ movements often get very slow and small. Falling is a big problem, especially as symptoms progress. In a recent survey of more than 1,700 people with Parkinson’s disease, nearly three-quarters of those who participated in boxing reported that the program improved their social lives, and more than half said it helped with fatigue, fear of falling, depression and anxiety. According to Danielle Larson, assistant professor of neurology, “Parkinson’s disease is not just a condition that affects motor symptoms, such as how you move, walk and talk. Parkinson’s can also affect people’s moods, making them feel lonely or isolated.” Dr. Larson said she now often recommends boxing to her patients.

Rats of dangerous high blood pressure problems during pregnancy more than doubled in the United States between 2007 and 2019, a new study finds. “The increased in pregnancy complications is alarming because these adverse pregnancy’s outcomes – including hypertension in pregnancy, preterm birth and a low birth weight infant – not only adversely influence both mom and child in the short-term, but for years to come said Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of cardiology and epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We want the takeaway from our study to increased awareness among clinicians (physicians and midwives) who care for pregnant individuals and the public, including women who may be thinking of becoming pregnant, are pregnant or had one of these complications during pregnancy.”

The formula shortage affects not only infants. Children with rare conditions that rely on formula are forced to ration what they have, and work closely with hospital nutritionists to ensure they are getting all their nutrients. Joshua Wechsler, attending physician at Lurie Children’s and assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said, “You know, we saw a lot of weight loss among our patients, because frankly they didn’t have a choice but to ration.” Wechsler said he understands that parents are doing whatever they have to do to make the situation work. From a medical standpoint, it is definitely not ideal.

WGN hosted Dr. Robert Murphy, to discuss the current rates of pediatric coronavirus vaccinations. “Only 30% have had the first two doses. The booster is now available and hopefully people will get their kids vaccinated,” said Dr. Murphy. He explained that although doctors understand the hospitalization rate and death rates of COVID, they are unable to guarantee the infection rate because so many tests are taken at home and go unreported. He further shares his concerns of the rare outbreak of Monkeypox.

Evidence continues to mount that a specific strain of adenovirus could be implicated in a wave of American children who’ve developed acute hepatitis of unknown origin, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say. Earlier this week, the CDC announced that 180 pediatric hepatitis cases had been identified in 36 states over the past seven months, up from a previous count of 71 two weeks earlier. According to Dr. Tina Tan, infectious disease doctor and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “It’s unusual because this is occurring in normal, healthy kids who don’t have an underlying condition. Nobody knows the true cause, and what it makes it more scary is that these kids develop very severe hepatitis.”