Alcohol (just a wee bit) Lowers CVD Mortality Risk

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Moderate alcohol intake – defined as no more than one alcoholic drink for women and two for men per day – may be associated with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease when compared with individuals who abstain from drinking or partake in excessive drinking, according to a new study. Of the 53,064 participants, 7,905 (15%) experienced a major adverse cardiovascular event: 17% in the low alcohol intake group and 13% in the moderate alcohol intake group. People who reported moderate alcohol intake were found to have a 20% lower chance of having a major event compared to low alcohol intake (in adjusted analysis), and also had lower stress-related brain activity. Kenechukwu Mezue, MD, the study’s lead author, cautions that these findings should not encourage alcohol use, but that they could open doors to new therapeutics or prescribing stress-relieving activities like exercise or yoga to help minimize stress signals in the brain.

SOURCE: American College of Cardiology, news release, May 6, 2021 accessed 05.08.21 — https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2021/05/05/14/48/new-acc-21-research-explores-flu-vaccines-sleep-htn-secondhand-smoke-alcohol-and-stress-acc-2021

My liver understands but does not necessarily agree with the findings of this study.

My Only Other Comment on Covid-19 Vaccine Blood Clot Risk

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My only comment on the J&J vaccine blood clot risk was a technically correct statement. This is my only other comment on Covid-19 Vaccine induced blood clot risk. Get vaccinated. We now know how to fix it.

“Our experience shows us that these clot reactions are very rare, but they can be treated,” lead co-author Dr. R. Todd Clark, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a statement. “Americans can feel comfortable getting vaccinated and should discuss any vaccination concerns with their doctor.”

Doctors successfully treat rare J&J blood clot, case report shows — https://www.livescience.com/johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-blood-clot-treatment-case-report.html

“COVID-19 infection is a significant risk factor for CVST. A preliminary analysis of U.S. data during the COVID-19 pandemic, available online, preprint on April 15, 2021, found that the risk of CVST due to infection with COVID-19 is 8-10 times higher than the risk of CVST after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The public can be reassured by the CDC’s and FDA’s investigation and these statistics – the likelihood of developing CVST after a COVID-19 vaccine is extremely low. We urge all adults to receive any of the approved COVID-19 vaccines.”

Karen L. Furie, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the special report, chair of the department of neurology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and chief of neurology at Rhode Island Hospital, The Miriam Hospital and Bradley Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island

Guidance on diagnosis and management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after a COVID-19 vaccine — https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210429/Guidance-on-diagnosis-and-management-of-cerebral-venous-sinus-thrombosis-after-a-COVID-19-vaccine.aspx

Like I said earlier, I have a lot of respect for Brownies.

Third Places and Spaces

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The term “third place” was first dubbed by Ray Oldenburg, a world-renowned sociologist who wrote The Great Good Place in 1989. In his book, which was a direct response to the privatization of home life that came with the increase in suburb growth, he claimed that if our homes were the “first” place, and our offices the “second” place, then the “third” place was most everything in between- or the more informal places where community gatherings would occur. These spaces are easily accessible by all and serve as anchors to modern society.

The Future Workspace That Isn’t the Workplace — https://www.archdaily.com/960896/the-future-workspace-that-isnt-the-workplace?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArchDaily+%28ArchDaily%29

A nice look at the future of work from Kaley Overstreet. Kaley has a B.S. in Architecture and Master of Architecture from Ohio State Knowlton School and is a Senior Contributor at ArchDaily. Third spaces and places have been happening for some time. The pandemic merely accelerates the trend.

How will your workforce work?

The Latest in COVID-19 News: Week Ending 04.24.21 – NEJM Journal Watch

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Click on the link for the NEJM Journal Watch weekly update.  Not a lot of links this week for SARS-CoV-2 articles but again I did not forget to post this.

https://www.jwatch.org/fw117733/2021/04/24/covid-19-news-week-ending-apr-24-2021

So in the spirit of big news that didn’t get mentioned in this week’s NEJM Journal Watch:

FDA, CDC Lift Suspension of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

Cite this: FDA, CDC Lift Suspension of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine – Medscape – Apr 23, 2021 — https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/949913

Meanwhile pray for India.

India has recorded nearly a million infections in three days, with 346,786 new cases overnight into Saturday.

India Covid surge: Hospitals send SOS as record deaths registered — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56870410

The Latest in COVID-19 News: Week Ending 04.17.21 – NEJM Journal Watch

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Click on the link for the NEJM Journal Watch weekly update.  A blood clot week for SARS-CoV-2 articles.

https://www.jwatch.org/fw117711/2021/04/17/covid-19-news-week-ending-apr-17-2021

A team of researchers in the United Kingdom conducted an in-depth investigation of 22 patients who developed serious blood clots combined with a drop in blood platelets after receiving a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is now called Vaxzevria. They also tested an additional patient who had clinical signs of a drop in blood platelets after vaccination. Nearly all the patients — 22 of 23 — tested positive for unusual antibodies to platelet factor 4, a signaling protein that helps the body coordinate blood clotting.

Citation: Researchers Detail More Cases of Rare Clots Tied to COVID Vaccines – Medscape – Apr 16, 2021 — https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/949473?src=rss

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

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RMSF is the most common fatal rickettsial illness in the United States.

Overall hospitalization rates are noted be at 23.4% based on aggregated reviews of case reports (Openshaw 2010.

Case fatality rate is estimated to be 5-10% overall (Biggs 2016). If treatment is delayed, case-fatality rates of 40-50% have been described for patients treated on day 8 or 9 of their illness.

Case fatality rate is highest in those over the age of 70 (Amsden 2005).

Without treatment, the case fatality rate is over 25% (Lacz 2006).

Citation: Muhammad Durrani, “Emerging Tick-Borne Illnesses: Not Just Lyme Disease Part 4 RMSF”, REBEL EM blog, November 5, 2020. Available at: https://rebelem.com/emerging-tick-borne-illnesses-not-just-lyme-disease-part-4-rmsf/.

The CFR for untreated RMSF surprised me.

And yet another reason besides bears to stay out of the woods.

Remind me to tell some of my favorite tick stories when we can all gather unmasked to enjoy some food and drink.