A study to be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes' annual meeting found that people living with type 2 diabetes had more than double the risk of sepsis, compared with those without the condition. The risk was higher among men and those of Aboriginal ancestry. "Modifiable risk factors include smoking and hyperglycemia, but prevention of chronic complications and comorbidities is also imperative," the researchers wrote.

Hypoglycemia is associated with an increased risk and progression of diabetic retinopathy, according to research presented at a meeting of the Retina Society. Patients with hypoglycemia were 3.5 to 4.8 times more likely to develop nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Hypoglycemia also was associated with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, and researchers emphasized the importance of regular blood glucose monitoring.

A study published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that 20 weeks of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise led to disease resolution in 33% of adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, compared with 13% of those who received standard care. The exercise group also had greater improvements in biomarkers such as alanine aminotransferase levels and MRI proton density fat fraction, Theja Channapragada of the Penn State Health-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and colleagues reported.

A diet high in saturated fat may quickly impair memory by overactivating CCK interneurons in the hippocampus, according to a study in the journal Neuron. The findings were based on diet-induced mouse models of obesity. "This work highlights how what we eat can rapidly affect brain health and how early interventions, whether through fasting or medicine, could protect memory and lower the risk of long-term cognitive problems linked to obesity and metabolic disorders," principal investigator Juan Song said.

Novo Nordisk has reported positive results from a late-stage trial of its obesity treatment cagrilintide. The once-weekly injection led to an average weight loss of 11.8% over 68 weeks, compared with 2.3% for a placebo.

Newly appointed members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet this week to discuss COVID-19, hepatitis B and chickenpox vaccines. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the entire slate of 17 committee members earlier this year and has since appointed 12 new members, including several who have spoken out against the safety of vaccination.

Pharmacists can play a crucial role in patient safety by addressing medication errors such as incorrect dosing of drugs including buspirone, lamotrigine and apixaban, overuse of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underuse of statins in diabetes patients. By helping to identify and solve these issues, pharmacists can improve therapeutic outcomes and reduce risk of adverse effects.