RSV vaccine protects older adults against severe illness
A new study by Kaiser Permanente has shown that the ABRYSVO respiratory syncytial virus vaccine is very effective in reducing emergency room visits and hospital stays due to RSV among older adults. “This Kaiser Permanente research demonstrated the real-world effectiveness of RSV vaccination among ...
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Study finds air pollution may increase risk of preterm birth
Exposure to a specific kind of air pollution, fine particulate matter, during pregnancy may significantly increase the risk of spontaneous preterm birth, which can be dangerous for both the mother and ...
5 questions for … Dr. Javed Sheikh
Javed Sheikh, MD, was recently named 2024 Physician Researcher of the Year by the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. Dr. Sheikh is the vice area research chair for the Los Angeles area on ...
Kaiser Permanente’s vaccine side-effect monitor bolsters safety
After COVID-19 vaccines became available in December 2020, several smartphone-based reporting systems were developed to monitor vaccine side effects. They included V-safe from the Centers for Disease ...
Residents lead advances in understanding of “broken heart” syndrome
March 29, 2021Research led by internal medicine residents at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center has surfaced new insights into Takotsubo syndrome, a condition that closely resembles a heart attack. Most importantly, the findings link beta-blocker treatment with improved clinical outcomes. This project began in 2019, when residents Christopher Lau, MD, Sarah Chiu, MD, and Rohith Nayak, ...Read more...Diabetic eye damage reflects future cardiovascular risks
March 29, 2021People with type 2 diabetes may develop diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that can lead to vision loss. Now, a study of over 77,000 Kaiser Permanente Southern California members shows that greater severity of diabetic retinopathy is strongly associated with a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, congestive heart failure, and death from any cause. “Preventive ...Read more...Pneumonia vaccine may affect course of COVID-19
March 10, 2021One type of pneumonia vaccine, the PCV13 vaccine, may affect the course of COVID-19 for some older adult patients, new research shows. The Kaiser Permanente study was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. “Kaiser Permanente members who received the PCV13 vaccine appeared to be diagnosed with COVID-19 less often, and when they were, they seemed ...Read more...Dr. Fatemi named 2020 Researcher of the Year
March 9, 2021Shireen Fatemi, MD, FACE, FACP, an endocrinologist at Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center, has been named the 2020 Southern California Permanente Medical Group Researcher of the Year. The award has been given each year since 2007 to recognize a physician or surgeon for his or her outstanding contributions to the research community. Dr. Fatemi ...Read more...Scientists and physicians continue to research COVID-19 risks and outcomes
March 3, 2021As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, researchers and physicians at Kaiser Permanente Southern California are analyzing the data collected and lessons learned over the first year of the pandemic to find better ways to test, treat, and care for patients. On January 26, a few of the researchers and scientists shared their latest projects at a ...Read more...Five questions for … Dr. Kristen Choi
March 3, 2021Kristen Choi, PHD, MS, RN, is a child/adolescent psychiatric nurse and health services researcher who is also an adjunct investigator with the Department of Research & Evaluation. She is an assistant professor at the UCLA School of Nursing and associate director of nursing for the UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program. Dr. Choi studies health services ...Read more...Researchers examine association of preterm birth and chemicals in flame-retardant fabrics
March 3, 2021A Kaiser Permanente Southern California study of 3,500 women showed that pregnant women with high levels of PDBE-47, a chemical used in flame-retardant fabrics, were at increased risk of giving birth early in the pregnancy. The study, “Women with high plasma levels of PBDE-47 are at increased risk of preterm birth” was published recently in the ...Read more...Promoting heart health through research
February 2, 2021Kaiser Permanente researcher seeks to reduce heart disease by finding better ways to prevent, detect, and treat high blood pressure, known as a “silent killer.” Epidemiologists are scientists who study patterns of diseases and health conditions in large populations. Early in her career as an epidemiologist, Kristi Reynolds, PhD, MPH, decided to focus on heart health. ...Read more...Self-order option boosts colorectal cancer screening rates
January 21, 2021A study among Kaiser Permanente members in Southern California shows that allowing patients to self-order a colorectal cancer screening test online improves rates of testing completion. The rates of both completion and follow-up activities were higher among patients who ordered the tests themselves than those who received the test kit automatically in the mail when ...Read more...Chest pain risk assessment may reduce treatment disparities
December 23, 2020The use of a standardized tool for assessing the risk of serious outcomes in patients with chest pain was associated with women at high risk receiving comparable care to men, according to new research published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Care received by women at low and intermediate risk was consistent with current clinical ...Read more...