News

Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of illness and death in the United States and around the world. Although some infectious diseases are preventable with vaccines, many others still are not. Emerging diseases such as COVID-19 present new threats. To take on these challenges, the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh was established to bring together researchers from many different fields at Pitt and UPMC in an effort to find better ways to protect adults and...

Some pregnancy-related conditions cause high blood pressure, putting pregnant women and new mothers at risk for heart disease. While the prenatal period involves multiple check-ups that include routine blood pressure monitoring, the frequency of doctor visits often drops dramatically following birth, and many women miss scheduled postpartum visits. The University of Pittsburgh and Magee Women’s Research Institute studied the use of telemedicine to help monitor blood pressure remotely and found...

Each year, millions of young athletes experience a concussion - a traumatic brain injury, usually caused by a blow to the head, that can lead to headaches, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and in some cases loss of consciousness. Although many factors play a role in concussion recovery, a new study of young athletes suggests that a waiting period before starting treatment following injury prolongs recovery time. In new findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association...

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—an eye disease that occurs when a small part of the retina, called the macula, wears down over time—is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50. AMD results in dark, blurry areas in the center of vision and significantly impairs the ability to read or drive. Although there is no known cure for AMD, local researchers are testing a new implant that may help restore partial sight.  University of Pittsburgh researcher and UPMC surgeon...

Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to have low vitamin D levels, a deficiency that can be associated with markers of poor cardiovascular and metabolic health. However, results from a recent study conducted by UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed improvements in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and blood glucose levels in overweight and obese vitamin D-deficient children who took supplemental vitamin D...

Menopause can come with many challenging symptoms, including night sweats, hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood changes, and weight gain. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often used to help manage these symptoms, but a study by researchers and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests a link between some forms of HRT and accumulation of heart fat, which is a risk for cardiovascular disease. As part of the...

Children account for over 30 million emergency department visits each year, and most of these visits occur in general emergency departments that may not be equipped to handle pediatric emergencies. According to an analysis published in the journal Pediatrics, critically ill children brought to hospital emergency departments that are ill-prepared to care for pediatric emergencies have more than three times the odds of dying compared to those brought to hospitals well-equipped to care for them. ...

Reproductive coercion—a form of relationship abuse that includes pressuring a partner to become pregnant when they do not want to be or interfering with contraception use by damaging condoms or through other means—is a common problem among teenage girls seeking care at high school health centers, according to a study led by University of Pittsburgh researchers. Reproductive coercion can lead to poor health outcomes, such as unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. ...

On Monday, October 28, 2019, Pitt+Me staff from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute welcomed over 700 students, staff, community members, and researchers to Pitt+Me Day: A SALK-a-bration of Research at the University of Pittsburgh’s Oakland campus. The event was held to celebrate the legacy and birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk—a Pitt researcher who led the team that developed the first polio vaccine. Polio, a disease that attacks the nervous system and can lead to paralysis and death...

Antiretroviral medicines have helped millions of people with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) live longer, healthier lives, but new research found that even after nearly a decade of strict HIV treatment, cells sheltering the virus could be found in the cerebrospinal fluid—a clear, colorless fluid found in the brain and spinal cord—in half of study participants living with HIV. In addition, researchers found that people with HIV in their cerebrospinal fluid were more likely to have cognitive...

Over the past 15 years, the rate of suicide in young people and the rate of death due to opioid overdose in adults have both dramatically increased, and new research suggests that the two may be related. David Brent, MD, and his team at the University of Pittsburgh found that children of parents who use prescription opioids are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.     Researchers used a medical claims database of privately-insured adults from 2010-2016 to identify parents who had...

Anywhere from 40-70% of people with heart failure experience depression at the same time, but research findings from the Hopeful Heart Trial at the University of Pittsburgh show that telephone-delivered care that blends treatment for both conditions can improve mental health-related quality of life and mood symptoms more than doctors’ usual care for these conditions. Heart failure affects up to 6.6 million Americans, but co-occurring depression is often unrecognized and untreated in this...

Flu shots typically become available in August, but waiting until October to get vaccinated may be best for older adults, according to a research study from the University of Pittsburgh. Over time, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in an individual declines and the risk of contracting the flu rises. Because flu season often increases in October and peaks between December and February, researchers suggest thatgetting vaccinated closer to the start of flu season may provide better protection. ...

Gastric bypass surgery, also called the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, is the most common form of weight loss surgery performed in the United States today and has helped many people lose weight and improve health. However, a new study reports that the death rate from drug- and alcohol-related causes in people who have had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is nearly triple that of the general public, according to recently published research from the University of Pittsburgh.  Researchers...

Going through a breakup, feeling left out, or losing a friend can be difficult, but recent research may provide a clue about why some people bounce back from these types of rejection faster than others. University of Pittsburgh researcher Tristen Inagaki, PhD, and her team recently published new findings in the journal Biological Psychology reporting that people with high blood pressure were less sensitive to social pain—defined as the unpleasant experience felt by actual or perceived damage to...