News from NYU Langone Health
Which Is More Effective For Weight Loss, GLP-1 Drugs Or Surgery? New Study Has Answer. (TODAY)
(6/17) A study presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery meeting compared weight loss outcomes between GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery, finding that patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass lost significantly more weight than those on semaglutide or tirzepatide, with surgery patients losing 24% of body weight compared to 5% for GLP-1 users; Avery Brown, MD, general surgery resident, Department of Surgery Education, said, “Clinical trials show weight loss between 15-21% for GLP-1s, but this study suggests that weight loss in the real world is considerably lower,” while Karan Chhabra, MD, assistant professor, Departments of Surgery and Population Health, cautioned against the casual prescribing of GLP-1s, emphasizing the need for careful oversight.
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Think GLP-1s Guaranteed Major Weight Loss? Real-World Data Says Otherwise. (Health)
(6/17) A study published in Obesity examined nearly 7,900 GLP-1 drug users in Ohio and Florida, revealing that real-world weight loss from semaglutide and tirzepatide is less than clinical trials suggest, with semaglutide users losing 7.7% and tirzepatide users losing 12.4% of their body weight on average, compared to 14.9% and 20.9% in trials, respectively; Babak J. Orandi, MD, PhD, associate professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, and Department of Medicine, advised, “The key is to go up on the dose, as long as side effects are not too limiting and weight loss isn’t too fast,” emphasizing the importance of dosage, adherence, and lifestyle changes for optimal results.
Health Harms Linked To Living Near Highly Microplastic-Polluted US Coastlines, Study Finds. (CNN)
(6/18) A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that living near heavily microplastic-polluted coastal waters in the U.S. is associated with higher risks of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease, with Dr. Sarju Ganatra from Lahey Hospital & Medical Center cautioning that while the study shows a correlation, it does not prove causation; Leonardo Trasande, MD, the Jim G. Hendrick, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics, vice chair of research, Department of Pediatrics, and professor, Department of Population Health, in a previous interview, said, “Phthalates contribute to inflammation and systemic inflammation in the coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing disease and lead to acute events including mortality,” highlighting the health risks linked to chemicals used in plastic production.
Trump Administration Actions Contradict MAHA Rhetoric On Toxic Chemicals. (NPR)
(6/18) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda, which seeks to eliminate environmental and food toxins, faces contradictions as the Trump administration cuts resources and regulations crucial for achieving these goals, with Kennedy as Health Secretary and the administration’s actions, such as terminating federal grants and reducing staff for environmental health research, undermining the agenda; Leonardo Trasande, MD, the Jim G. Hendrick, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics, vice chair of research, Department of Pediatrics, and professor, Department of Population Health, said, “Many of these chemicals of concern attack the same mechanism in the human body and can have additive or exponential effects,” highlighting the complexity of addressing chemical exposure and health impacts.
Memory Care Leaders See Need To ‘Change The Narrative’ As Dementia Cases Rise. (Senior Housing News)
(6/17) A study reveals that adults 55 or older have a 42% chance of developing dementia, more than double previous estimates, with projections indicating U.S. cases will double by 2060, particularly affecting women, Black adults, and those over 75, with study senior investigator and epidemiologist Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, the Terry and Mel Karmazin Professor of Population Health, Department of Population Health, professor, Department of Medicine, Optimal Aging Institute, saying, “Our study results forecast a dramatic rise in the burden from dementia in the United States over the coming decades, with one in two Americans expected to experience cognitive difficulties after age 55.”
Phthalate-Linked Cardiovascular Deaths Top 356K Globally In 2018. (Physician's Weekly)
(6/17) Research published in eBioMedicine links daily exposure to di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), a phthalate used in plastics, to over 356,000 cardiovascular deaths globally in 2018, with the majority occurring in the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific, according to lead study author Sara Hyman, MS, associate research scientist; the study, which analyzed data from 200 countries and used a mixed-effects regression model, highlights regional disparities in DEHP-related deaths and calls for enhanced regulatory measures and international cooperation, noting the significant mortality burden in Asia and Africa.
Expert Discusses Differentiating Prostate 鶹Ƶapp From Age-Related Issues. (Urology Times)
The (6/17) Stacy Loeb, MD, professor, Departments of Urology and Population Health, Perlmutter 鶹Ƶapp Center, discussed the challenges of distinguishing prostate cancer symptoms from age-related issues, noting that early-stage prostate cancer is often asymptomatic and emphasizing the importance of staging evaluations for high-grade cancers, such as Gleason 9, regardless of age, with advanced imaging techniques like PSMA PET scans providing a clearer picture of the disease’s extent, as seen in President Biden’s case, where increased urinary symptoms led to the discovery of a suspicious nodule during a prostate exam.
Skip Regional Nodal Radiation After Chemo In Breast 鶹Ƶapp? (Medscape)
(6/18) New findings published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggest that patients with breast cancer whose positive axillary lymph nodes turn negative after neoadjuvant chemotherapy can safely skip regional nodal irradiation, as it did not significantly reduce rates of invasive breast cancer recurrence or death at 5 years; Nancy Chan, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter 鶹Ƶapp Center, said, “Hormone-positive tumors can have late recurrences, and we need longer follow-up to have evidence that these results continue to hold,” and described the B-51 trial as providing “important data as we try to figure out how we can optimize treatment and omit toxicity where it’s not necessary.”
How International Students Can Get Into US Medical Schools. (US News & World Report)
(6/17) The journey for international students, including those with Canadian degrees, to U.S. medical schools involves understanding each school’s specific academic requirements, gaining U.S. healthcare system experience, and highlighting unique backgrounds; for instance, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine accepts only those with a U.S. or Canadian bachelor’s degree, while Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio requires international applicants to complete a year of upper-level science coursework at an accredited U.S. institution, and emphasizes the importance of clinical exposure and cultural competence in applications.
We Tested More Than A Dozen Popular Fitness Trackers – Our Favorite Is Less Than $120. (Women's Health)
(6/17) N’Namdi Nelson, CSCS, senior exercise physiologist, Sports Performance Center, endorses fitness trackers for their ability to provide baseline measures and remind users of daily health tasks, emphasizing the importance of features like heart rate monitoring for gauging exercise intensity and sleep tracking for recovery insights.
The Controversial Drink That May Be Better Than Water For Weight Loss. (Daily Mail (UK))
The (6/17) Marion Nestle, NFS, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, discussed the impact of diet sodas on weight loss, saying, “Neither water nor diet sodas have calories, but diet sodas have chemical sweeteners that might encourage eating more food.”
