NEW STUDY. A new blood test that can track and follow the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease – and exclude other dementias. That is an innovation now presented by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, together with colleagues in Italy and USA. In recent years, a lot of effort has been put on developing biomarkers in blood that could potentially help to diagnose and monitor Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Tau – one…
More obesity in three- and four-year-olds during pandemic
NEW STUDY. The incidence of overweight and obesity in children aged three and four in Sweden during the pandemic, especially in more deprived areas, a study of just over 25,000 children in three Swedish counties shows. The study, published in the European Journal of Public Health, is based on data concerning 25,049 children aged three to five who have undergone regular health checks at child health centers. The counties taking…
Physical fitness a demographic watershed
NEW STUDY. Sedentary behavior, a large waist circumference, and advanced age: These factors are clearly associated with inferior physical fitness among people aged 50 to 64. In a study with over 5,000 participants, investigating the correlations in detail, major fitness disparities are shown. Fitness is a vital factor for performance in sports, but also for the stamina required for exercising and leading an active everyday life. Previous studies have shown…
No proven health impact of free primary care from age 85
NEW STUDY. Introducing copayment elimination in primary care for the over-85s has not caused a rise in the number of health care visits. In terms of achieving the intended effect, the reform thus appears to have failed, a University of Gothenburg study shows. The study, published in the Journal of Health Economics, is based on register data from 2014–2018 in Region Stockholm and Region Västra Götaland. Nationwide, primary care has…
New prostate cancer diagnostic pathway paves way for general screening
NEW STUDY. In screening for prostate cancer, the risk of overdiagnosis can be halved, a University of Gothenburg study shows. With the diagnostic pathway that has now been tried out, considerably fewer harmless tumors are found. This solves a big problem and makes general screening feasible. Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy, part of Gothenburg University, and Sahlgrenska University Hospital performed the present study, which is now published in The New England…