News

An international collaboration between researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, and participating hospitals in eight other countries suggests that patients who have the most serious symptoms of COVID-19 may stand a better chance of survival if they receive a course of treatment that includes corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are common prescription medications used for diseases that cause inflammation such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and many others. This discovery was made...

The holidays can be a painful time of year for people experiencing the loss of a loved one and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic may make coping with the loss even more difficult. University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry researcher Sarah T. Stahl, PhD, whose work focuses on improving the mental and physical health of bereaved older adults, shares her tips for getting through the holidays without your loved one. “In our work with bereaved spouses, we have learned that while...

On October 28, staff from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) invited Pitt+Me participants, Pitt students, and community members to join us online to celebrate the birthday and legacy of the late Dr. Jonas Salk during the second annual Pitt+Me Day: A SALK-a-bration of Research. Dr. Salk was a University of Pittsburgh researcher who led the team that developed the first polio vaccine more than half a century ago. Polio, a disease that attacks the nervous system and can lead...

  The Pitt Innovation Challenge (PInCh®) today awarded a total of $485,000 to nine projects that propose creative solutions to address health problems including diagnostics, treatments and interventions. The challenge, which is in its seventh year, was sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI).   “The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop the PInCh teams from creating innovative and unique solutions to improve health,” said Steven Reis, M.D....

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...