(Press-News.org) Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 8 September 2025
Follow @Annalsofim on X, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin
Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.
----------------------------
1. Pre-conception radiation exposure from CT scans increases risk for miscarriage and birth defects
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-24-03479
Editorial: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-03528
URL goes live when the embargo lifts
A population-based cohort study evaluated the risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss and congenital anomalies in offspring of women exposed to computed tomography (CT) ionizing radiation before conception. The study found that exposure to CT imaging prior to conception may be associated with higher risks for spontaneous pregnancy loss and congenital anomalies. The findings suggest that alternative imaging methods to CT should be considered in young women when appropriate. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada and colleagues studied data from 5,142,339 recognized pregnancies and 3,451,968 live births in Ontario, Canada between 1 April 1992 and 31 March 2023 among women aged 16 to 45 years. The primary exposure was the cumulative number of CT scans up to 4 weeks before estimated date of conception, and the secondary exposure was the number of CT scans limited to the abdomen, pelvis, lumbar spine, or sacral spine up to 4 weeks before the estimated date of conception. Outcomes were spontaneous pregnancy loss (miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or stillbirth) among recognized pregnancies and congenital anomalies diagnosed within the first year of life among live births. Of 5,142,339 women with recognized pregnancies, 687,692 had a CT scan before conception. Of all recognized pregnancies, 10.4% ended in spontaneous pregnancy loss, including 468,092 miscarriages, 47,228 ectopic pregnancies, and 19,845 stillbirths. Relative to those without a prior CT scan (101 per 1000 recognized pregnancies), the rate of spontaneous pregnancy loss increased to 117 per 1000 in those with 1 CT scan, 130 per 1000 with 2 CT scans, and 142 per 1000 with 3 or more CT scans. The absolute rates of pregnancy loss were slightly higher when limited to CT imaging of abdomen, pelvis, and lower spine. Among those with a CT scan, the risk for spontaneous pregnancy loss gradually increased as the timing of the most recent CT scan became closer to the estimated conception date. Relative to those without a prior CT scan (62 per 1000 live birth pregnancies), the rate of congenital anomaly increased to 84 per 1000 in those with 1 CT scan, 96 per 1000 with 2 CT scans, and 105 per 1000 with 3 or more CT scans. These findings suggest exposure to radiation from CT imaging before conception increases the risks of pregnancy loss and congenital anomalies. The results can inform clinical practice and guidelines on radiologic imaging in women of reproductive age.
Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Camille Simard, MD, MSc please email camille.simard@mcgill.ca.
----------------------------
2. Ryan White HIV/AIDS program cuts could trigger a substantial spike in infections by 2030
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-01737
URL goes live when the embargo lifts
A simulation study estimated the impact of disruptions of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in 31 U.S. cities. The study found that both indefinite and temporary disruptions to Ryan White services could sharply increase HIV incidence, with more severe effects in cities in Medicaid nonexpansion states. The results illustrate the value Ryan White programs in preventing the spread of HIV and show how even brief interruptions in services have serious impacts at the municipal level. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and colleagues used a mathematical simulation model, informed by data from surveys, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Ryan White programs, to estimate the impact of indefinite and temporary disruptions of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in 31 U.S. cities with high disease burden of HIV. They simulated four scenarios for each city examined: the “continuation” scenario where Ryan White services continue at current levels and viral suppression continues its current trajectory; the “cessation” scenario where Ryan White services stop in July 2025 and viral suppression among Ryan White clients decreases and never recovers; the “brief interruption” scenario where Ryan White services stop in July 2025, suppression among Ryan White clients begins to improve in January 2027, and suppression recovers to prior levels by December 2027; and the “prolonged interruption” scenario where Ryan White services stop in July 2025 and suppression among Ryan White clients recovers from January 2029 to December 2029. The primary outcome was the projected excess incident HIV infections from 2025 to 2030 that would be incurred by either cessation or interruption of Ryan White services versus continuation. The researchers found that after a halt to Ryan White services in July 2025, average viral suppression across all cities was projected to decrease from 74% (95% CrI, 72% to 75%) in 2025 to 49% (95% CrI, 27% to 68%) in 2026. In the cessation scenario, they projected 75,436 additional infections (95% CrI, 19,251 to 134,175 infections) across all 31 cities from 2025 to 2030, an excess of 49% (95% CrI, 12% to 86%), occurring disproportionately among adults younger than 25 years. This excess varied widely across cities, with cities in Medicaid nonexpansion states experiencing more infections than those in expansion states. In the brief interruption and prolonged interruption scenarios, they project an 19% (95% CrI, 5% to 33%) and 38% (95% CrI, 10% to 66%) more infections, respectively. The findings highlight the critical public health value of services provided through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program.
Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Anthony T. Fojo, MD, MHS please email Michel Morris at melben1@jhmi.edu.
----------------------------
Also new this issue:
Addressing Missingness in Predictive Models That Use Electronic Health Record Data
Shanshan Lin, ScM; Rolf H.H. Groenwold, MD, PhD; Hemalkumar B. Mehta, MS, PhD; Ji Soo Kim, PhD; and Jodi B. Segal, MD, MPH
Research and Reporting Methods
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-24-01516
Chronic Kidney Disease
Morgan E. Grams, MD, PhD and Michal L. Melamed, MD, MHS
In the Clinic
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-02684
END
Pre-conception radiation exposure from CT scans increases risk for miscarriage and birth defects
2025-09-08
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Boston University appoints Kenneth Lutchen to top research job
2025-09-08
Boston University has appointed pioneering biomedical engineer and experienced higher education leader Kenneth Lutchen as its new vice president and associate provost for research. He will lead BU’s $500 million research enterprise, which spurs new knowledge and impactful advances. In the past year alone, BU researchers have launched a global AI-powered infectious diseases monitoring tool, engineered devices that could improve cancer treatment, and landed a telescope on the moon.
Lutchen has held a variety of teaching and leadership positions since ...
For video-on-demand platforms, release strategy matters: streaming episodes gradually boosts consumers’ searches, subscription rates
2025-09-08
The market for video-on-demand platforms has grown rapidly in the last decade, with nearly 90% of U.S. households subscribing to a service, and most subscribers having four or more platforms. In this context, and as more than a third of U.S. subscribers cancel their subscriptions within short periods, retaining subscribers and maximizing engagement have become crucial to the industry.
In a new study, researchers examined how the release strategy of shows—gradually or all at once—influences users’ engagement and subscription rates at a video-on-demand platform. The study found that each approach has its merits, but that gradually releasing shows boosts consumers’ ...
Sleep strengthens muscle and bone by boosting growth hormone levels. Here's how
2025-09-08
As every bodybuilder knows, a deep, restful sleep boosts levels of growth hormone to build strong muscle and bone and burn fat. And as every teenager should know, they won't reach their full height potential without adequate growth hormone from a full night's sleep.
But why lack of sleep — in particular the early, deep phase called non-REM sleep — lowers levels of growth hormone has been a mystery.
In a study published in the current issue of the journal Cell, researchers from University ...
Only 1 in 7 online health images show proper technique to accurately measure blood pressure
2025-09-08
Research Highlights:
Only 1 in 7 online stock images of blood pressure monitoring aligned with the procedures recommended by clinical guidelines.
Online stock images depicting blood pressure monitoring in the home were approximately three times more accurate than images depicting blood pressure monitoring in a physician’s office, health care facility or hospital.
This study is among the first to review online images of people having their blood pressure measured from major stock photo websites.
Embargoed until 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET Monday, ...
Children receiving biofeedback speech therapy improved faster than with traditional methods
2025-09-08
Run. Red. World. Pronouncing the “r” sound in these words requires precise control of the tongue. For most children, this happens naturally, but many children struggle with residual speech sound disorder (RSSD) in which speech errors persist past the age of eight.
In a large-scale study, researchers in speech pathology tested a promising treatment approach that incorporates biofeedback—a method that uses technology to provide visual feedback to improve speech. They found that children’s ability to say the “r” sound improved at a ...
Scientists discover why the flu is more deadly for older people
2025-09-08
Scientists have discovered why older people are more likely to suffer severely from the flu, and can now use their findings to address this risk.
In a new study, which is published in PNAS, experts discovered that older people produce a glycosylated protein called apoplipoprotein D (ApoD), which is involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation, at much higher levels than in younger people. This has the effect of reducing the patient’s ability to resist virus infection, resulting in a more serious disease outcome.
The team established that highly elevated ApoD production ...
The salmon superfood you’ve never heard of
2025-09-08
In northern California, salmon are more than just fish—they’re a cornerstone of tribal traditions, a driver of tourism and a sign of healthy rivers. So it may not come as a surprise that NAU and University of California Berkeley scientists working along the region’s Eel River have discovered a micro-scale nutrient factory that keeps rivers healthy and allows salmon to thrive.
The scientists’ new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) reveals how a partnership ...
How does chemotherapy disrupt circadian rhythms?
2025-09-08
During and after chemotherapy, nearly half of cancer patients endure circadian rhythm disruptions, which worsens treatment side effects. Because the body’s primary rhythm pacemaker is in the brain, this suggests that perhaps chemotherapeutics target the brain to disrupt circadian rhythms. However, research shows that cancer treatments do not penetrate the brain well. To shed light on this discrepancy, researchers led by Leah Pyter at Ohio State University explored whether paclitaxel, a frequently used breast cancer treatment, disrupts the biological clock in the brain to impair circadian rhythms.
In their eNeuro paper, the researchers used a paclitaxel treatment regimen ...
A new bystander effect? Aggression can be contagious when observing it in peers.
2025-09-08
People who repeatedly observe aggression have a higher likelihood of engaging in violent behavior later in life. In a new JNeurosci paper, Jacob Nordman and colleagues, from Southern University of Illinois School of Medicine, used mice to explore the environmental factors and neural mechanisms that lead to the aggression that witnesses later acquire.
In a behavioral paradigm created by this research group, mice observed known peers or unfamiliar strangers attack intruder mice. Only male witnesses later displayed increased aggression themselves, and this happened only after watching familiar peers attack intruders.
What neural mechanism might be driving ...
Do you see what I see? People share brain responses for colors.
2025-09-08
Do colors trigger unique brain responses? And do different people have the same brain responses to colors? In a new JNeurosci paper, Michael Bannert and Andreas Bartels, from the University of Tübingen, explored color representation in the human brain to address these questions.
The researchers measured color-induced brain responses from one set of participants. Next, they predicted what colors other participants were observing by comparing each individual’s brain activity to color-induced responses of the first set of observers. Bannert and Bartels found that ...