Reviews & Analysis

Cardiology trials continue to under-represent certain population groups relative to disease distribution; this Perspective outlines strategies to foster representativeness and create a research enterprise that meets the needs of people living with cardiovascular disease.

Lassa fever is a cryptic viral disease that is spread predominantly from rodents to humans in West Africa. We estimated the health-economic burden associated with Lassa fever, highlighting the gains to population health and economies that could be afforded by Lassa vaccines, several of which are currently in development.

This study explored how diverse factors including neurocognitive disorders, socioeconomic inequalities, pollution and gender disparities influence brain aging in underserved populations (groups with limited access to essential services such as healthcare and education). Using deep learning on EEG and fMRI data, we identified brain-age gaps as key markers of accelerated brain aging and their connections to macrosocial determinants of health.

Delandistrogene moxeparvovec received FDA approval after a negative trial, which highlights the many complexities and challenges of drug development in this setting.

Echocardiographic screening during routine pacemaker checkups identifies pacing-induced cardiomyopathy in more than one-third of patients, requiring multidisciplinary, guideline-directed follow-up care.

In a study of more than 250,000 adults who underwent noncardiac surgery, we found that new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) occurs at a predictable rate and is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Postoperative oral anticoagulation eliminated the POAF-attributable risk of stroke during the first year after surgery.

Artificial intelligence is being hyped for its potential to revolutionize assisted reproduction, including embryo selection — but a new study reveals that the inflated expectations of new technologies are not always justified.

Stockpiled A(H5N1) influenza vaccines made using viruses from the mid-2000s stimulate antibodies that cross-react with current strains, despite being separated by 20 years of viral evolution — supporting investment in vaccine stockpiling for pandemic preparedness.

We developed ehrapy, an open-source Python software framework for the exploratory analysis of electronic health record data. Ehrapy handles various widely used data formats, preprocessing tasks such as imputation of missing data and bias detection, and offers tools for analyses including patient stratification, survival analysis, causal inference and trajectory inference.

An analysis of longitudinal data reveals disparities in healthy working life expectancy across Chinese populations depending on various socioeconomic and demographic factors. These findings can inform inclusive strategies for extending healthy working lives for different people.

As medical AI development gathers momentum, a new study reveals that much work still needs to be done before the public will willingly embrace AI-based technologies in healthcare.

Studies in China show how large language models can improve primary healthcare systems, but equitably scaling this technology will require attention to rural, low-resource settings and the companion policies that support its implementation.

The ETER701 trial demonstrates that a four-drug regimen, involving the addition of anti-angiogenesis therapy to immuno-chemotherapy, improves survival outcomes for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer — but is more indeed better when it comes to treating this intractable disease?

Extreme heat events are expected to become more frequent because of climate change. Our analysis of almost 140,000 births across 16 hospitals in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa indicates 34% higher odds of perinatal mortality (stillbirth or death up to 24 hours after birth) if extreme heat occurred in the week preceding childbirth.

A novel application of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology, developed to treat a single patient, adds to the growing number of ‘personalized’ therapies for rare diseases; but pathways to implementation and access are urgently needed.

A study uses '-omics' and artificial intelligence to derive a metric that distinguishes normal immunity from its perturbation — and reveals that healthy immune systems are less alike than anticipated.

Tackling antimicrobial resistance will require a sustainable research and development ecosystem for antibiotic development, alongside strategies for responsible use and global access.

This Perspective calls for inclusion of patients with MASLD and measurement of liver outcomes in cardio–kidney–metabolic trials, when data suggest mechanistically plausible benefits and clinical safety—and outlines considerations for trial design and regulatory approval.

Infections account for the highest number of non-relapse-related deaths after CAR T cell therapy, underscoring the necessity for clinical risk-mitigating strategies and a deeper understanding of CAR T cell-related cytopenia.

Dietary guidelines advise substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats. We used detailed blood fat composition profiling in diet trials and population studies to confirm that a moderate high-fat diet from plant oils is better for metabolism and heart health than a diet with similar fat levels from animal sources.