Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Education and Empowerment in the ED

This RCT tested an education and empowerment (E2) intervention for patients identified in ED with high systolic blood pressure (SBP). Compared to standard discharge instructions, the E2 group received a consultation, smartphone-enabled BP monitoring kits, and primary care referrals. After 6 months, they showed a greater mean reduction in SBP (MD, 4.9 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.8-9.0 mmHg; P = .02), supporting the intervention. 

2: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Mental Disorders in Adults 

A meta-analysis of over 32K patients across 375 trials found that CBT was associated with significant reductions in a variety of mental health disorders. Effect sizes varied by the type of control condition, with smaller effects for bipolar and psychotic disorders; larger effects for MDD, panic disorder, GAD, eating disorders, and OCD; and the largest effects for PTSD and specific phobia. 

3: GLP-1 Agonists for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotichepatitis (MASH)

This phase-3 study evaluated once-weekly semaglutide for MASH. After 72 weeks, semaglutide resolved steatohepatitis and reduced liver fibrosis in 32.7% of patients vs. 16.1% with placebo. Patients also lost an average of 10.5% of their body weight, though GI side effects were more frequent. 

Metabolic Woes 🧠

How some people can be decades ahead of schedule for cancer — without knowing it

What happened: A new study found that E. coli could be linked to colorectal cancer in young adults.

Why it’s interesting: Researchers found a DNA-altering toxin called colibactin, which is created through certain strains of E. coli that live in the colon and rectum. Early exposure to the toxin leaves a mark on colon cell DNA that could increase the chance of getting colorectal cancer before age 50. 

The study looked at 981 colorectal cancer genomes from patients with early- and late-onset diseases across 11 countries. They found that colibactin leaves behind colorectal cancer DNA patterns that are 3.3 times more common in adults diagnosed before 40 than in those diagnosed after 70. Damage caused by colibactin shows up early, so researchers could see tumor development in the first 10 years of a patient's life by looking at the timing of different DNA mutation patterns.

Although colorectal cancer rates have been falling among older folks, numbers have risen across the globe for people under 50. If the trend continues, it’ll become the leading cause of cancer-related death among young adults by 2030. 

 But: That said, the study didn’t prove causation — just a strong link between the toxin and the disease — and it’s reopened the conversation around colorectal cancer screening. The findings could change how doctors screen for cancer, or create a vaccine or drug to attack the bacteria. 

Bottom line: In medicine, when one door opens, it usually means dozens are still closed, and the study team is already hard at work trying to figure out how people are exposed to colibactin. 

Hot Off The Press

1: 🇺🇸 China’s pushing back — again — on US claims about COVID’s origins. In a new white paper, officials argue the virus may have emerged in the US before it ever hit Wuhan, citing a Missouri lawsuit and calling the lab leak theory “extremely unlikely.” The CIA, meanwhile, leans slightly toward the lab theory — but still says both origins remain plausible, with no firm conclusion in sight.

2: 🐒 A new study confirms that humans take more than twice as long to heal skin wounds as many other mammals — including our closest relatives, chimpanzees. Researchers say our relative lack of hair follicles, which house stem cells critical to skin repair, may be to blame. The tradeoff? More sweat glands, less regenerative speed.

3: 🤧 📺Sneezing more than usual this spring? Allergists say it could be due to climate change and more carbon emissions, causing plants to have longer growing seasons and higher pollen counts. Pollen concentrations have also risen 21% in North America over the last 30 years.

4: 🧗‍♂️ Grip strength may predict more than your ability to open jars — it’s emerging as a surprisingly powerful marker for overall health and even life expectancy. One study found that those with the strongest grip were 2.5x more likely to become centenarians, pointing to muscle strength as a key sign of resilience.

Notable Numbers 🔢

200: the number of venomous snake bites one man endured to help create a new antivenom. Tim Friede injected himself with snake venom over 600 times — and was bitten around 200 — all in the name of science. Now, his antibodies are part of a new broad-spectrum antivenom. The study raises both scientific hopes and serious ethical questions.

10x: the difference in antibiotic use between the highest- and lowest-using countries. WHO’s latest GLASS report points to both overuse and lack of access — with continued reliance on “Watch” antibiotics that drive resistance, and minimal use of “Reserve” drugs where they’re often most needed.

60: the number of years Warren Buffett has been CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. That run ends in December: at 94, Buffett just announced he’ll step down as CEO after 6 decades at the helm — though he’s staying on as chairman. Vice Chair Greg Abel, long tapped as successor, takes over in 2026.

Picks

😂Laugh: at this meme about CPR:

📺 Watch: This year’s recap of the Met Gala! The theme was “Tailoring Black Style” but not everyone got the memo…

🌸Celebrate: Mother’s Day with an edible arrangement from Edible Arrangements. There’s 15% off — just in case it slipped your mind (again).

Relax

First Question: An ICP precaution stipulates elevating this to 30-45 degrees

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