What is ‘butt breathing?’; 1 in 5 UTIs linked to contaminated meat; Walmart becomes first to sell OTC glucose monitor – Morning Medical Update

‘Butt breathing,’ which may help those with serious lung problems, clears first human safety trial

A once-IgNobel-winning idea has taken a serious step toward reality. Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Osaka report in Med that “enteral ventilation” — the delivery of oxygen through the rectum using an oxygen-rich liquid — has passed its first human safety test. In the phase 1 trial, 27 healthy men in Japan received varying doses of non-oxygenated perfluorodecalin intrarectally for 60 minutes. The treatment was well tolerated, with only mild, transient gastrointestinal symptoms and no serious adverse events. The study focused solely on safety, but future trials will test oxygenated formulations to assess clinical effectiveness. Leading expert Takanori Takebe, M.D., Ph.D., said the approach could one day offer a low-tech method to support patients with blocked airways or failing lungs when mechanical ventilation is not feasible, and they hope to expand the technology for use in newborn care. Bioengineer.org has more details.

1 in 5 UTIs linked to contaminated meat

A genomic analysis of more than 5,700 E. coli samples from Southern California suggests that nearly 20% of urinary tract infections (UTIs) may originate from foodborne bacteria found in contaminated poultry and meat. The study, published in mBio by researchers at George Washington University and Kaiser Permanente Southern California, found that residents of low-income neighborhoods faced a 60% higher risk of foodborne UTIs than those in wealthier areas. Chicken and turkey were the most common sources of the high-risk strains.

Walmart becomes first to sell OTC glucose monitor

Walmart will be the first U.S. retailer to stock Abbott’s Lingo continuous glucose monitor (CGM), marking a milestone in the mainstreaming of wearable health technology. The over-the-counter (OTC) sensor, previously available only online, will roll out to more than 3,500 stores and on Walmart.com for $48.97 per two-week sensor. Abbott’s Lingo device tracks glucose in real time via an upper-arm sensor and iPhone app, offering consumers new insight into how food, exercise and lifestyle affect their blood sugar levels. The retail debut expands access to a technology historically limited to patients with Type 1 diabetes under insurance coverage. Abbott says the move is part of a broader push to democratize metabolic monitoring as part of everyday wellness. Axios has more.