Going with the gut

Would you swallow a pill that senses your heartbeat? That may sound like science fiction, but it’s actually the latest development in modern medicine. The size of a vitamin capsule, Celero Systems’ VM Pill detects small vibrations in the body associated with breathing and heart rate and can indicate if a person stops breathing. The pill has important implications for treating serious respiratory and cardiac conditions.

A study published Nov. 17 in Device describes the successful first human trial of the new device. Researchers tested the VM Pill in 10 sleep study participants at West Virginia University Medicine’s Sleep Evaluation Center. The device reported participants’ breathing rates with 92.7 percent accuracy. In comparison with external vital monitoring machines, the VM Pill monitored heart rate with 96.2 percent accuracy.

The VM Pill opens up possibilities for monitoring vital signs outside a hospital setting. Scientists say the device could diagnose a sleep disorder without putting someone through the hassle of an overnight stay in a sleep lab, for example. It could also detect changes in respiratory status associated with conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Risky injuries

Researchers examining the relationship between concussion history and suicidal behavior in U.S. high schoolers found that boys with multiple concussions are at a much higher risk of attempting suicide. Their recent study adds to the pile of evidence confirming that concussions affect ­mental health.

Publishing their findings Nov. 16 in the Journal of Athletic Training, the researchers analyzed ­survey data from over 28,000 high schoolers. They reported that teen boys who had two or more concussions in the past year were twice as likely to attempt suicide than males who only had one concussion. Suicide attempts increased for teen girls with one concussion, but remained relatively constant with multiple concussions.

Lead author Jacob Kay noted that males are less likely to discuss mental health struggles. “In the context of concussion, this could mean there are even fewer red flags among males intending self-harm,” he said in a press release. —H.F.

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COVID-19 vaccine uptake dwindles

Approximately half of U.S. adults don’t plan to receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine, made available in September. According to a KFF survey, only 20 percent of adults had received the updated vaccine as of early November, with just 1 in 4 reporting intentions to get it. Survey respondents also indicated shrinking concern about COVID-19’s spread during the holiday season: Only 26 percent said they were worried about catching the virus. —H.F.