A gene mutation discovered in a small Amish community in Indiana has inspired the use of a new experimental drug for COVID-19 that reduces blood clotting, which is a primary driver of morbidity and organ damage in the disease. The first clinical trial of the drug in COVID-19 patients has just been launched at Northwestern Medicine.
Researchers from Northwestern University estimate food insecurity in America doubled in the first few months after the coronavirus arrived, and a recent CBS News poll shows more than one third of Americans are at least somewhat concerned they won‘t have enough money for groceries in the next year.
Northwestern University researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (A.I.) platform that detects COVID-19 by analyzing X-ray images of the lungs. Called DeepCOVID-XR, the machine-learning algorithm outperformed a team of specialized thoracic radiologists — spotting COVID-19 in X-rays about 10 times faster and 1-6% more accurately.
Restaurants, gyms, cafes and other crowded indoor venues accounted for some 8 in 10 new infections in the early months of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic, according to a new analysis that could help officials around the world now considering curfews, partial lockdowns and other measures in response to renewed outbreaks. The study, which used cellphone … Continued
In the pandemic, people wear face masks to respect and protect others — not merely to protect themselves, says a team of Northwestern University researchers. With this in mind, the researchers developed a new concept for a mask that aims to make the wearer less infectious. The central idea, which received support from the National Science … Continued
The average turnaround time for COVID-19 nasal swab tests decreased from an average of 4 days in April to 2.7 days in September, according to the latest survey results of an ongoing national survey of attitudes about COVID-19. Despite the quicker testing speeds, the results are still too slow in most cases to support successful … Continued
Nearly 1 in 5 Chicago residents who sent blood-spot samples to Northwestern University researchers tested positive for antibodies to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to preliminary results of an ongoing study. That 20% infection rate is higher than the scientists anticipated based on earlier research, said Dr. Elizabeth McNally, director of the Center for Genetic … Continued
More than 80 percent of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine this spring had neurological symptoms, according to a study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. Researchers analyzed the neurological symptoms of 509 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to 10 Northwestern hospitals between March 5 and April 6.
Severely ill Covid-19 patients on ventilators are placed in a prone (face down) position because it’s easier for them to breathe and reduces mortality. However, a new study shows that life-saving position can also cause permanent nerve damage in these vulnerable patients. “This is a much higher percentage of patients with nerve damage than we’ve … Continued
In this podcast produced by Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, a team of Northwestern scientists have come together from across disciplines to develop a COVID-19 antibody test designed for at-home use. Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD, is part of the team working on this test to determine prior exposure to the virus.