Wellness-uptodate

Chinese researchers recently conducted a study to see if a health measure called CDAI has any connection to the occurrence of low back pain. CDAI is like a score that helps gauge a person’s health status. After considering various factors that could influence the results, the researchers found that, on the whole, there wasn’t a strong link between CDAI and low back pain. However, they noticed something interesting. People with higher CDAI scores (indicating better health) were found to be less likely to experience low back pain compared to those with lower scores. This association, which was statistically significant, meant it’s not likely that it can be explained by chance. They also checked this trend across different groups, like men and women. Interestingly, the link between higher CDAI scores and lower likelihood of low back pain was stronger in women. Women with higher CDAI scores had a significantly lower chance of having low back pain compared to those with lower scores. The st...

A new article, conducted by Lili Zang and colleagues from Weifang Medical University School of Nursing in Shandong Province, China, discusses a meta-analysis of 15 high-quality trials that investigated the impact of light therapy on individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The meta-analysis included 598 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and it covered 15 randomized controlled trials conducted in seven different countries. Those trials were published between 2005 and 2022. Sleep Improvement Light therapy led to significant improvements in several sleep measures. It notably enhanced sleep efficiency, increased interdaily stability, and reduced intradaily variability, all of which are indicators of better sleep quality. Light therapy was associated with a reduction in agitation, depression, and caregiver burden among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. A significant advantage over usual care was shown in reducing the severity of psychobehavioral symptoms, as assessed...

A new study explores how a specific probiotic, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), might help improve the regeneration of bones in the gums affected by periodontal disease, especially in the presence of high cholesterol levels (hyperlipidemia).  Periodontal disease can lead to the loss of bone in the jaw, making it challenging for the bone to regenerate. The researchers used a rat model with conditions mimicking periodontal disease, high cholesterol, and a defect in the gums. The rats were given LGG for six weeks, and then various measurements were taken after sacrificing the rats to understand the effects. They found that the bone density, volume, and thickness in the affected area increased after the rats were given LGG.  Interestingly, these improvements were not due to direct effects on the oral bacteria but were linked to changes in the gut microbiota.  When fecal matter containing the altered gut bacteria from LGG-treated rats was transplanted into other rats, si...