Maria Fleseriu, M.D., OHSU, is a new co-editor of Healio Endocrine Today.

In an announcement about the FDA removing hypersensitivity to blood and blood products as a contraindication for prescribing GE Healthcare’s Optison ultrasound enhancing agent for heart imaging, Jonathan Lindner, M.D., says ultrasound enhancing agents can improve diagnostic accuracy and echocardiogram interpretation, and that removing this contraindication “removes unnecessary hurdles to employing this valuable asset in cardiovascular imaging.”

In a story on the cost of COVID hospitalizations, an OHSU spokesperson says: “We receive a large number of patients critically ill with COVID-19 and other conditions from around the state and provide the maximum level of care available to help them survive, if we can, which often requires longer lengths of stay and more resources.”

“Hospitals throughout Oregon continue to manage high volumes of patients who require care for COVID-19 and other conditions,” Franny White, an OHSU spokesperson said. “To help maintain access to acute and emergency services, many hospitals statewide — including OHSU — have taken necessary steps such as reducing inpatient surgical cases to increase hospital capacity.”

OHSU requires all members -- employees, learners and volunteers institution-wide -- be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive an approved medical or religious exception by Oct. 18.

In a story exploring the meaning of a COVID “booster” shot and how getting one too soon or too often can be counterproductive, Mark Slifka, Ph.D., notes that after receiving several tetanus booster shots, “no matter how many more you give, you can’t get any higher antibody response."

A story about pain and injury management notes OHSU researchers found patients with back painwho healed at home had outcomes that were equivalent to those who had imaging done with X-rays, MRIs or CT scans.

OHSU's Alan Teo, Ph.D., discusses depression and suicide among veterans

A recovery from the record-breaking spike in COVID-19 cases has been pushed from Halloween to Christmas, according to an Oregon Health & Science University forecast.

OHSU's virus forecaster says to take precaution.