Brookings

Researchers are evaluating whether eating lean beef every day can support brain health and healthy aging in adults aged 65 years and older. The study focuses on understanding how lean beef, rich in essential nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and creatine, affects biological markers related to memory, nerve protection, and brain aging. This trial aims to explore the direct molecular impact of a beef-rich diet on brain health in generally healthy older adults. Participants will take part in a randomized, controlled, crossover feeding trial involving two dietary phases, each lasting 14 days. In one phase, they will consume 156 grams 5.5 ounces of provided lean beef daily, while in the other phase, they will consume an iso-caloric, protein-matched non-beef control food made from cottage cheese and whey protein. A two-week washout period separates these phases to prevent overlapping effects. Participants will maintain their usual diet and physical activity habits but will replace part of their daily protein intake with the study foods. Throughout the study, researchers will collect blood, urine, stool, and saliva samples at the start and end of each dietary phase to analyze key biomarkers including plasma phosphorylated tau-217, amyloid-beta 4240 ratio, and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. They will also assess changes in the plasma lipidome and gut microbiome. Clinical visits will include vital signs, anthropometric measurements, and dietary records to monitor adherence. The study will measure changes in brain health markers to understand the biological effects of lean beef consumption over a total period of about 10 weeks including both phases and washout.

Researchers are comparing the rates of surgical and minimally invasive interventions, as well as any harms, in Medicare beneficiaries treated with the MILD procedure versus those treated with interspinous process decompression IPD for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication. This observational study uses Medicare claims data to follow patients for 24 months after their initial procedure starting from January 1, 2017. The purpose is to evaluate outcomes between these two types of procedures without requiring prior patient enrollment or consent. The study includes two groups patients who received MILD, which is a percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression performed under fluoroscopic guidance through a dorsal approach to the spine, and patients who received IPD, a different device-based decompression procedure. Data on reoperations and complications will be collected for both groups over a 24-month follow-up period using Medicare claims. Enrollment continues until the sponsor decides to stop. Participants involvement is passive as the study uses existing Medicare claims data. Researchers will monitor rates of harms related to the initial procedure and subsequent surgical or minimally invasive interventions over two years. No direct patient visits or interventions are conducted, and the study is exempt from institutional review board oversight. The total study duration extends to December 2026, covering cases treated since early 2017.