Internal Medicine Alert – October 30, 2025

Cycling into Cognitive Health: Lessons from the U.K. Biobank

In this large prospective study, active travel (especially cycling) was associated with lower dementia incidence both overall and for specific types of dementia as well as greater hippocampal volume.

Efficacy of Adding Aspirin to OACs for CAD Patients

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of adding aspirin to oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with chronic coronary artery disease at high risk of atherothrombotic complications and major bleeding was stopped early because aspirin increased the risk of all-cause mortality. In addition, aspirin was associated with an increase in atherothrombotic complications and major bleeding.

Repeated Head Impacts Are Associated with Tau Astrogliopathy

This study demonstrates that both traumatic brain injury and participation in contact sports are independently associated with increased tau astrogliopathy, particularly thorn-shaped astrocytes, even when cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change are excluded.

Measles Testing of Persons with HIV

A Dallas County human immunodeficiency virus clinic review from 2015-2025 found that only 11% of people with HIV had documented measles immunity, with younger patients, white and Hispanic patients, and patients with low CD4 counts more likely to be seronegative.

Psychiatric Medications and Long QT Syndrome: A Safe Combination?

A retrospective study of patients with electrocardiogram long QT interval syndrome and psychiatric disease suggests that with proper pharmacologic treatment and counseling, the patients can be treated safely with psychiatric drugs known to increase the QT interval.

Elamipretide Injection (Forzinity)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted accelerated approval to elamipretide, the first treatment for Barth syndrome — a life-threatening disease of the mitochondria. Elamipretide is a mitochondrial cardiolipin binder that improves mitochondrial structure and function.