Organ transplant history; exercise and mental health; long COVID data available – Morning Medical Update

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UThymoKidney

Surgeons have performed the first combined mechanical heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney transplant surgery on a 54-year-old woman with heart and kidney failure. New York University Langone Health announced patient Lisa Pisano, 54, of New Jersey, made medical history as the first patient to receive a combined mechanical heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney and thymus gland to treat heart and kidney failure. Researchers said “the procedure represents a confluence of advances that showcase the possibility and hope of modern medicine.”

Good for body and mind

Low- to moderate-intensity exercise improves patients’ mental health, for men and women, no matter where they are, according to a new review of studies from around the world. Depression drops by 23%, anxiety by 26%, and psychosis/schizophrenia by 27%. What are some activities? Gardening, golf and walking are good exercises to start.

COVID-19 by the numbers

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced secure data from more than 14,000 adults in the NIH Researcher COVID to Enhance Recovery, or NIH RECOVER, observational research on long COVID now are available. The figures could accelerate research on heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders due to long COVID, or signs, symptoms or conditions that persist or develop at least four weeks after an infection from the virus that causes COVID-19.