Snapshots: Research, clinical and other news in brief

[WEEK OF AUG. 24]

Nature hikes offered for people with dementia 

For the fourth year, UW Medicine’s Memory and Brain Wellness Center is offering monthly nature hikes around Puget Sound for individuals diagnosed with dementia before age 65. Led by a recreation specialist from Seattle Parks and Recreation, these two- to three-mile hikes allow people with early onset dementia, each with a family member or friend, to get physical activity and social connection in a small-group setting.  

The next hike will start at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8. It will explore the Oxbow Loop trail near North Bend. Participants must register in advance for each hike, and the specific meet-up location will be shared with registrants. Find more information, along with registration links, at the program site: Shared Outdoor Adventures for Resilience.  

DEA bans synthetic drug three 7-OH related compounds

On Aug. 25, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration made three 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) related compounds illegal to sell or possess by placing them into Schedule I for two years. 7-OH is an opioid and a minor component of the kratom plant. Until this week, it was legally sold over the counter in a synthetic, highly concentrated form. These 7-OH products are unsafe and have led to addiction and overdose.  

People who are addicted to the drug may switch to more dangerous substances as a result, increasing their risk of overdose and other harms, said Caleb Banta-Green, an addictions expert at UW Medicine. He and several clinical colleagues wrote about 7-OH and the care of people who are concerned about the safety of using it and kratom. 

Acute myeloid leukemia trial funded with $15 million 

Fred Hutch Cancer Center researchers will lead a clinical trial studying treatment options for older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer. The principal investigator is Dr. Mohamed Sorror, a hematologist-oncologist and clinical researcher with Fred Hutch and the University of Washington School of Medicine.  

The 18-center U.S. study will enroll about 800 patients to compare stem cell transplantation with non-transplant therapy after patients reach remission. Researchers estimate that, for roughly one-third to one-half of older AML patients, it's currently unclear which treatment approach is better. The trials will measure survival along with quality-of-life factors such as physical and cognitive function and frailty. The initiative is supported by $15 million from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Find more study details. 

Technology supports exercise as patient-care component 

A new clinical care model integrates physical activity into routine healthcare by having clinicians ask patients about their activity levels during clinic visits and use a University of Washington-developed ExerciseRx digital platform to support individualized exercise plans. Patients track their activity with smartphones or wearable devices, complete home exercises, and share their progress with their healthcare team.  

The researchers found this technology can help personalize activity and exercise at scale across multiple patient populations, potentially supporting better health outcomes. The authors suggest that combining routine physical activity assessment with digital tools could make exercise support more accessible and easier to incorporate into healthcare. Co-authors are Dr. Cindy Lin and Theresa Kehne, both in Rehabilitation Medicine at the UW School of Medicine. The paper was published in PM&R Journal.  

For details about UW Medicine, please see our About page.