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THURSDAY, Dec. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The first known case of COVID-19 triggering a recurrence of Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported by researchers. Guillain-Barré syndrome -- which can be sparked by viral and bacterial infections -- is a rare disorder where the body's immune system attacks nerves. It can result in respiratory failure and death. There have been several reports of COVID-19 patients developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, but this is the first documented case linking COVID-19 with a recurrence of the condition. It occurred in a 54-year-old man who had Guillain-Barré syndrome twice before he had a third occurrence after testing positive for COVID-19, according to the Rutgers University case report. "The patient came to the emergency room with complaints of...

THURSDAY, Dec. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Getting a high-dose flu shot instead of a regular dose doesn't further reduce the risk of serious flu-complications, hospitalization or death in people with heart disease, new research shows.The findings don't change established guidelines. Heart disease patients and other people with chronic illnesses do benefit from flu shots and should get one every year, according to the authors of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-funded study. "Getting a vaccine is even more critical than usual this year, as people with COVID-19 who get the flu are at higher risk for more serious complications," said study co-author Dr. Lawton Cooper of the institute's division of cardiovascular sciences. "People should follow the guidance of...

THURSDAY, Dec. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- New research on what happens as a newborn is delivered and takes its first breath may shed light on a potential contributor to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A team led by doctors from the University of Virginia School of Medicine discovered a signaling system within the brainstem that activates almost immediately at birth to support early breathing.The findings help researchers understand how breathing transitions from its initially fragile state to a stable and robust physiological system that supplies the body with oxygen throughout a lifetime. Before birth, breathing is not required, so the transition at birth is a highly vulnerable time."Birth is traumatic for the newborn, as the baby has to independently take control over...

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Mindfulness, meditation and survivorship education can help young breast cancer survivors overcome depression and other problems, a new study indicates.About 20% of breast cancer cases occur in women younger than 50, many of whom face significant struggles."For women in their 30s and 40s, the experience with breast cancer and its treatments is substantially different from that of older women," said study author Dr. Patricia Ganz, associate director for population science research at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center."These women often require more aggressive therapy that can be both disruptive and disfiguring, which can cause high levels of distress, putting them at an increased risk for the negative effects of cancer diagnosis and...