Diseases & Conditions Archive

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects two to three times as many women as men. Scientists are uncovering RA's potential genetic and hormonal underpinnings, which point to potential reasons why women are more vulnerable. The newest treatments, called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, resulted from research that has teased out delicate differences in immune system pathways. They block numerous proteins that ramp up inflammation fundamental to RA. The wide array of drug options now available for RA help doctors personalize therapies to each patient.

Climate change is causing longer, more intense allergy seasons, with increased amounts of pollen. This might make it harder for people to predict when their allergies might crank up, when to begin preparing for them, and how to discern the difference between allergy symptoms and upper respiratory illness. Strategies to cope include noting daily pollen counts, staying indoors when counts are high, checking with a doctor about new or worsening symptoms, and wearing a mask when outside for more than a few minutes.

A large 2024 study of more than 112,000 people found that those who ate at least five ounces of dark chocolate each week had a 21% lower risk of developing diabetes within 30 years, compared with those who rarely or never ate chocolate.

Use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system to treat sleep apnea must be monitored regularly by a doctor. This might require numerous doctor visits initially, and then annual visits afterward to make sure the therapy is still working effectively. The clinician needs to review data collected by the machine, gather information from the patient, and determine if new health conditions, including weight gain or other sleep issues, require adjustments to the CPAP machine settings.