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Detecting lung cancer four months earlier at the GP using artificial intelligence
GPs may soon be able to identify patients with an increased risk of lung cancer up to 4 months earlier than is currently the case. The GP should be able to simply identify patients during a consultation with an algorithm created by researchers at Amsterdam UMC based on the data of more than half a million patients. The results of the study were published today in the British Journal of General Practice
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Surgery after a stroke due to carotid artery stenosis is no longer necessary for a large group of patients
European research led by University College London (UCL), together with Amsterdam UMC and the University of Basel shows that a significant proportion of patients who suffer a stroke due to carotid artery narrowing can be treated with medication only. A risky carotid artery operation, currently still the standard treatment for many patients, may then no longer be necessary for this group of patients. This research, published today in the Lancet Neurology, may lead to the global guidelines for the treatment of these patients being adjusted.
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Global first: MRI used in treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmia
Amsterdam UMC has used an interventional MRI (iMRI) scanner to successfully perform a cardiac ablation in a patient with ventricular arrhythmia, for the first time. Typically used for diagnosis, MRI is increasingly used during cardiac interventional procedures as it offers more visual insight. This global first sets a major step toward the use of iMRI as alternative treatment option for these arrhythmias.
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Dietary shift after migration increases cardiovascular risk by altering the composition of an individual's gut microbiome
An Amsterdam UMC-led study has found that migrants, this case from West Africa to Europe, experience a ‘clear change’ in their microbiome composition as compared to their non-migrant peers in West Africa, which expose them to an increase of cardiovascular disease. These peer-reviewed findings are published today in the journal Gut Microbes demonstrating that participants who lost specific groups of microbes or acquired specific new groups of microbes had higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and poor kidney function.
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Intravenous anaesthesia greatly reduces CO₂ emissions: comparable to annual emissions of Denmark
What if you could save 98 percent of CO₂ emissions during surgery with just one change? And what if that change also improved patient recovery and saved costs? Then you's probably want to implement that adjustment as quickly as possible, preferably worldwide. That is the mission of Amsterdam UMC anaesthesiologist Niek Sperna Weiland: “Our relatively small professional group can ultimately achieve a worldwide reduction in CO₂ emissions that is as large as the annual emissions of all of Denmark.” The adjustment in question: intravenous anaesthesia, instead of an anaesthetic gas.
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New insights into how cancer evades the immune system
Research into immunotherapy against cancer typically focuses on better recognition of cancer cells by the body's own immune system. Researchers at Amsterdam UMC and Moffitt Cancer Center have taken a different approach. They investigated how cancer affects the energy management of a patient’s T cells and showed for the first time that contact with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cells leads to a serious energy crisis in these cells. These findings are published today in Cellular & Molecular Immunology, building on a publication earlier this month in Blood Advances.
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Tocolytic drugs that inhibit contractions after 30 weeks of pregnancy has no effect on a baby's health
The use of tocolytic drugs in cases of threatened premature birth after 30 weeks of pregnancy does not improve the baby’s health. “There was no benefit but also no harm done," says Amsterdam UMC PhD-student Larissa van der Windt. The results of the largest study concerning the effectiveness of tocolytic drugs on the health of babies, led by Amsterdam UMC, were published today in The Lancet.
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New medication sinus thrombosis just as safe but more patient-friendly
Patients affected by sinus thrombosis are treated with blood thinners. Traditionally, these patients are prescribed vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). In order to give the correct dosage, regular check-ups at the thrombosis service are necessary. A global study, coordinated by Amsterdam UMC, now shows that new medication, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), are equally safe and effective. The study was published today in The Lancet Neurology.
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A new gene identified in the search for a therapy to treat malignant cardiac arrhythmia
Cardiac arrhythmias affect millions across the world and are responsible for around 15% of all deaths worldwide. Currently there are multiple treatment options, ranging from life-long medication to invasive surgical procedures. Research from Amsterdam UMC and Johns Hopkins University, published today in the European Heart Journal, sets another important step in the hunt for a one-off gene therapy that could improve heart function and protect against arrhythmias.
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'There is a lot of hunger for knowledge among policymakers'
Hoogleraar Vroege ontwikkeling en gezondheid Tessa Roseboom houdt zich al jaren bezig met de vraag hoe mensen gevormd worden door de omgeving waarin ze opgroeien, onder andere met het Hongerwinteronderzoek. De kennis die zij en haar collega-wetenschappers verzamelen, draagt ze actief uit. Dit kan beleidsmakers aan inzichten helpen om het leven van burgers, nu en in de toekomst, te verbeteren.
