Research insights: the latest updates from clinical papers

In our new monthly round-up, we review the latest clinical research from high-impact medical journals and draw out the findings most relevant to primary care and community nurses. Cahal McQuillan reports.

Ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular diseases

European researchers have compiled some of the strongest evidence to date linking ultra-processed foods (UPFs), such as ham, sausages, and mass-produced bread, with cardiovascular disease risk.

This comprehensive review of the scientific literature on UPFs and heart disease risk was published as part of a consensus statement by the European Society of Cardiology.

This statement is intended to increase awareness among clinicians about the cardiovascular risks associated with UPFs, and proposes a stepwise framework focused on cardiovascular disease prevention.

A systematic review included in the statement showed that the UK had one of the highest energy intakes from UPF in Europe at 54%, second only to the Netherlands at 61%.

Overall, the authors warn that the continuing rise of UPF consumption is a leading global public health concern and poses significant challenges for healthcare and scientific communities across multiple disciplines.

Ivermectin and scabies

When used in combination with topical scabicides, a standard dose of oral ivermectin was effective at curing severe scabies, a new study has found.

Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, this study investigated whether a higher dose – 400 μg per kg of body weight – or standard dose – 200 μg per kg – of oral ivermectin was effective at treating severe scabies when combined with head-to-toe application of 5% permethrin cream.

At day 28 of treatment, cure was observed in 54 (82%) of the 66 patients receiving standard dose oral ivermectin with permethrin cream. The researchers also demonstrated that the higher dose of ivermectin was no better than the standard dose in curing severe scabies, with 52 (79%) patients in the higher dose group cured by day 28.

According to the authors, the 133 patients enrolled in the trial adequately represented the typical adult population with severe scabies and the safety profile for treatment was good.

Increasing vaccine uptake

Help with scheduling appointments, financial incentives, and payments to cover costs among the most effective interventions for increasing vaccine uptake, a new study has found.

In this systematic review, published in The BMJ, the researchers analysed 237 randomised controlled trials covering over 4.3 million participants that assessed interventions aiming to increase demand for, or access to, vaccination across high-income and upper-middle-income countries.

Although effectiveness varied across age groups, the researchers found that the most effective interventions were: extended vaccination opportunities, such as community clinics, outreach, and extended hours; help with scheduling appointments; financial incentives; payments to cover costs like transport or childcare; and motivational interviewing.

Additionally, human interaction and delivery by community members alongside healthcare professionals were deemed effective components for improving vaccine uptake.

mRNA seasonal influenza vaccine

A new messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for seasonal influenza was more effective than standard licensed vaccines at preventing infection and influenza-like illness in a recent phase 3 clinical trial.

The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, gave the investigational mRNA-based vaccine called mRNA-1010 to 20,350 participants and the standard-dose licensed comparator to 20,353 participants – all of whom were aged 50 years and older.

The researchers highlight that influenza vaccine effectiveness varies by strain and season, and in 2024–2025, efficacy estimates for licensed, predominantly egg-based influenza vaccines ranged from 36% to 54% in the USA and Europe.

The authors note that the mRNA platform bypasses egg-based production for vaccines, which avoids egg-adaptive mutations and enables rapid strain updates – factors that may contribute to improved vaccine efficacy.

In this phase 3 clinical trial, the mRNA-1010 vaccine had an estimated relative vaccine efficacy of 26.6%, which was greater than that of the standard-dose comparator. The superior efficacy of the mRNA vaccine was observed early and maintained throughout the full influenza season.

Overall, the researchers say their findings support the role of mRNA-1010 in improving influenza prevention.

Soy, legumes, and hypertension

A higher dietary intake of soy and legumes – such as lentils, chickpeas and peas – is linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure, a new study has found.

In this systematic review, published in the open-access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, data from 12 prospective observational studies were analysed to assess the association between legume or soy consumption and hypertension risk.

The researchers found that compared with people with a low intake of legumes, those with a high intake were 16% less likely to develop high blood pressure. Similarly, those with a high intake of soy foods were 19% less likely to develop the condition than those with a low intake.

The authors say their findings support dietary recommendations to increase the intake of legumes in the general population and they suggest that an optimal daily amount may be about 170 g or 11-to-12 tablespoons of legumes and 60-80 g or around four-to-five tablespoons of soy.

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A version of this article was first published on our sister title, The Pharmacist.