NEW STUDY. The immunosuppressive drug methotrexate (MTX) can be linked to an elevated risk of three types of skin cancer, a new study by University of Gothenburg researchers shows. Patients receiving the drug include those with moderate to severe psoriasis; but in this particular patient group, a risk increase was only observed for basal cell carcinoma. The study, based on Danish health care registers, was a result of a research…
Depression and low quality of life 30 years after chemical attack
NEW STUDY. Mustard gas harms the vision, skin and breathing. Three decades on, however, the predominant effect is mental ill-health. At a time when chemical warfare is a threat, researchers at the University of Gothenburg have now presented their study monitoring a group of victims of a historical gas attack. With the war in Ukraine, threats to develop and use various weapons, including chemical warfare agents (CWAs), have been stepped…
New blood test differentiates neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease from other dementias
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…