COVID19 is a risk factor for coronary artery disease, some blood groups more vulnerable

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
COVID19 is a risk factor for coronary artery disease, some blood groups more vulnerable

People of blood group O, known to have less severe forms of the disease also seem to be less vulnerable to post COVID CVD

History of COVID19 related hospitalisation is a risk factor for coronary artery disease and the level of vulnerability may vary among people of different blood groups. A new study has concluded that individuals belonging to blood group O may be less at risk than others.

While COVID19 is associated with a risk of major cardiovascular events, the duration of that risk is not known and that is what the study attempted to find out. The elevated risk could last for up to three years.  “Hospitalization for COVID-19 represents a coronary artery disease risk equivalent, with post–acute myocardial infarction and stroke risk particularly heightened in non-O blood types. These results may have important clinical implications and represent, to our knowledge, one of the first examples of a gene-pathogen exposure interaction for thrombotic events,” researchers from Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, wrote. They also found that use of antiplatelet agents among patients without known cardiovascular disease reduced the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke.

Over 100,000 patients were recruited for the study through their data in the UK Biobank. “However, our analyses also revealed that increased thrombosis risk due to COVID-19 differed as a function of ABO blood type, which represents, at least to our knowledge, one of the first examples of a gene-pathogen exposure interaction for CVD-related outcomes. Specifically, hospitalization for COVID-19 increased the risk of MI or stroke by ≈2-fold among patients with non-O blood types but not in patients with blood type O,” the researchers wrote. Non O blood types make up 0% of the population.

That the severity of COVID19 is associated with the blood type of the patient has long been established. People with blood group O seem to have some protection against severe infection though they can still catch the virus and transmit it.

 

India has becomes third country in SE Asia to eliminate trachoma, WHO certifies

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
India has becomes third country in SE Asia to eliminate trachoma, WHO certifies

Trachoma is a bacterial infection that affects the eyes, spreading through contact with the eyes, eyelids, nose or throat secretions of infected people

India has become the third country in Southeast Asia to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. 

Trachoma which is classified as a neglected tropical disease, is a bacterial infection that affects the eyes. It is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia Trachomatis. Trachoma is contagious, spreading through contact with the eyes, eyelids, nose or throat secretions of infected people, if left untreated it causes irreversible blindness.

The disease was amongst the leading cause of blindness in the country during 1950-60. In 1971, blindness due to Trachoma was 5% and today, owing to the various interventions under the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), it has come down to less than 1%.  WHO SAFE strategy was implemented throughout the country wherein SAFE stands for adoption of surgery, antibiotics, facial hygiene, environmental cleanliness etc. As a result, in 2017, India was declared free from infective Trachoma. However, surveillance continued for trachoma cases in all the districts of India from 2019 onwards till 2024.

The National Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT only) Survey was also carried out in 200 endemic districts of the country under NPCBVI from 2021-24, which was a mandate set by WHO in order to declare that India has eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem.

All the reports were compiled in a specific dossier format by the NPCBVI team and were shared with the WHO country office for final scrutiny. Finally, after years of fighting against Trachoma, WHO declared that India has eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem.

 

Protein/fat rich foods, ultra processed items can worsen lifestyle diseases, finds DBT study

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Protein/fat rich foods, ultra processed items can worsen lifestyle diseases, finds DBT study

Fried foods can aggravate insulin sensitivity issues in overweight or obese people while green leafy vegetables and fruits can improve their prognosis

A study funded by the department of biotechnology, government of India has concluded that even in overweight or obese adults, a diet containing fruits, green leafy vegetables that is low on ultra processed foods can improve insulin sensitivity. These food items have low output of dietary-Advanced Glycation End products (dAge) which are known to aggravate metabolic disorders.

The study compared the impact of low dAGE diets and high dAGE diets and came to the conclusion: “In summary, low-dAGE diets exhibited improvement in the insulin-sensitivity and reduction in the inflammatory levels compared to high-dAGE diets. Hence, study first time in India revealed that low dAGE diets could be a potential strategy to reduce diabetes risk.”

The study was conducted by researchers from various institutions including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) in Chennai and the findings were published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.

India has a high incidence of diabetes which is predicted to go up with changes in lifestyle and dietary habits. A study last year by the Indian Council of Medical Research put the current prevalence at 11.4%.

“The prevalence of diabetes and other metabolic NCDs in India is considerably higher than previously estimated. While the diabetes epidemic is stabilising in the more developed states of the country, it is still increasing in most other states. Thus, there are serious implications for the nation, warranting urgent state-specific policies and interventions to arrest the rapidly rising epidemic of metabolic NCDs in India,” that study had concluded.

There is much work being done in India on the ways to control diabetes, including in the field of alternative medicine.

Nutritional support doubled to Rs 1000/month, special supplements for underweight TB patients

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Nutritional support doubled to Rs 1000/month, special supplements for underweight TB patients

Government approves additional allocation of ₹ 1040 crores to Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana as nutritional support for all TB patients

In a landmark decision, the ministry of health and family welfare has decided to double the monthly nutritional support for TB patients to Rs 1000 per month. The support, aimed at ensuring TB patients get sufficient nutritious food to withstand the ravages of the disease and the long course of antibiotics needed to fight it.

The government has also unveiled a scheme to provide energy dense supplements to underweight TB patients. Announcing these measures, health minister J P Nadda said  that till date, ₹3,202 crores have been disbursed to 1.13 crore beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana – the programme for monthly nutritional support to TB patients.

“The government has also decided to introduce energy dense nutrition supplementation for all patients with BMI<18.5 and to permit expansion of scope & coverage of Ni-Kshay Mitra initiative under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA) to the family members (household contacts) of TB patients,” Nadda said.

All TB patients will now receive a nutritional support of ₹ 3,000 to ₹ 6,000 under Ni-Kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY). While enhancement of NPY support will benefit all 25 lakh TB patients in a year, introduction of Energy Dense Nutritional Supplementation (EDNS) would cover approximately 12 lakh underweight patients (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2 at the time of diagnosis). EDNS would be provided to all eligible patients for the first two months of their treatment. “This move will cost the Government of India approximately an additional ₹1,040 crores to be shared between the center and states on 60:40 basis”, Nadda said.

India has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis in the world accounting for 27% of the global load. “India has the highest burden of TB with two deaths occuring every three minutes from tuberculosis (TB). But these deaths can be prevented. With proper care and treatment, TB patients can be cured and the battle against TB can be won,” says the World Health Organisation. India has also committed to eradicating the disease by 2025, five years ahead of the global deadline.

 

The 2024 Nobel Prize for Physiology goes to the scientists who discovered microRNA

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
The 2024 Nobel Prize for Physiology goes to the scientists who discovered microRNA

MicroRNA is a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation

 

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.

Micro RNA, a subcellular structure that helps cells regulate the amount of protein that is synthesised through its role in gene expression. It is a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. The groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.

“This year’s Nobel Prize honors two scientists for their discovery of a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated. The information stored within our chromosomes can be likened to an instruction manual for all cells in our body. Every cell contains the same chromosomes, so every cell contains exactly the same set of genes and exactly the same set of instructions. Yet, different cell types, such as muscle and nerve cells, have very distinct characteristics. How do these differences arise? The answer lies in gene regulation, which allows each cell to select only the relevant instructions. This ensures that only the correct set of genes is active in each cell type,” reads the announcement by the committee.

Both Ambros and Ruvkun had worked in the laboratory of Robert Horvitz who had received the  Nobel Prize in 2002 along with two others for their work on the gene regulation for programmed cell death that keeps diseases like cancer at bay. Ambros is currently with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, while Ruvkun is attached to the Massaschusetts General Hospital, Boston and also to Harvard Medical School.

 

India’s whole of government approach key to achieving universal health coverage: Nadda

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
India’s whole of government approach key to achieving universal health coverage: Nadda

The opening session of the Regional Committee meeting included election of office bearers

India’s health system embraces a “whole of government” and “whole of society” approach to achieve Universal Health Coverage, with emphasis on strengthening primary healthcare and essential services health minister J P Nadda told the 7th session of WHO Southeast Asia Region (SEARO) Monday. 

The opening session of the Regional Committee meeting included election of office bearers, establishment of a “Drafting Group for Resolutions and Decisions”, adoption of “Special Procedures” to regulate the conduct of the session and adoption of the provisional Agenda. 

Nadda said that “In line with the commitment to provide health cover for all, the Union Government launched the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). This initiative covers over 120 million families, providing an annual hospitalization benefit of USD 6,000 per family.” He highlighted that the government has recently expanded the scheme to all citizens aged 70 years and above. “This expansion will benefit around 45 million families, including 60 million elderly population, by providing them free health insurance coverage. It underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring universal and inclusive healthcare for India’s growing elderly demographic.”

Recognizing the growing public health challenges posed by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the Union Health Minister stated that “India is implementing the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs since 2010 to address conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This initiative has led to establishment of 753 NCD clinics, 356 Day Care Centers, and 6,238 Community Health Centers to focus on preventive measures at an early stage.”

Dignitaries present at the event included Dr Razia Pendse, Chef de Cabinet, WHO Headquarters; Mr. Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk, Minister of Health, Bhutan; Mr Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, Minister of Health, Maldives; Mr. Pradip Paudel, Minister of Health and Population, Nepal; Dr Elia Antonio de Araujo Dos Reis Amaral, Minister of Health, Timor Leste; Mr MA Akmall Hossain Azad, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh; Mr. Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha, General Secretary, Ministry of Health, Indonesia; Dr PG Mahipala, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka; Mr. Choe Hui Chol, Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the Republic of India and Dr Weerawut Imsamran, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.

Addressing the session, Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO SEARO said, “In 1948, when the first Regional Committee for South-East Asia was formed, the infant mortality rate globally was around 147. Today it is 25. Then, the antibiotic age had just begun. Today, we are faced with antimicrobial resistance”.

Higher incidence of heart disease, stroke in cancer survivor older adults, study finds

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Higher incidence of heart disease, stroke in cancer survivor older adults, study finds

Risk may be higher in those with metastatic, haematological, and lung cancer, and following chemotherapy

Even as cancer has over the years become a more treatable disease and cancer survivors have begun to have longer lives, there may be a higher risk that these patients have for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). 

A study that looked at Australian and US participants in the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial has reached this conclusion. The study looked at the impact of cancer and cancer treatment on a composite CVD end point comprising hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke.

“Incidence of CVD, including MI, HHF, and ischemic stroke, was increased in older adults with cancer. Aspirin did not impact CVD incidence. Risk may be higher in those with metastatic, hematological, and lung cancer, and following chemotherapy,” the study concluded. The results of the study led by researchers from Monash University, Australia have been published in the journal Cancer. The study suggested increased risk of CVD following chemotherapy and decreased risk in those who had had surgery

India has a high burden of cardiovascular diseases and is already looking at an increase in the incidence of various kinds of cancers with little policy interventions to address either of the two at the preventive level. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases aims to address both categories of diseases but has not quite taken off though it was launched 14 years ago in 2010. The plan to screen for breast and cervical cancers in women has been a virtual non-starter.

“The risk of CVD was greatest soon after an incident cancer diagnosis and remained elevated relative to the total cohort and cancer-free risk-set across the 4-year follow-up period. Incidence of CVD was similar between aspirin and placebo groups. The clinical implications of our findings lie in the impact of CVD on mortality and the fact that with appropriate screening and management, cardiovascular risk in cancer survivors can be mitigated,” researchers wrote in the study that was published online last month.

 

Commercial AI tools can be used to predict breast cancer risk, need for extra screening

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Commercial AI tools can be used to predict breast cancer risk, need for extra screening

Researchers find tools developed for diagnosis can result in early detection of the disease, ensuring better prognosis

Commercial artificial intelligence (AI) based tools developed for the detection of breast cancer can help early diagnosis of the disease, researchers have found. 

A breast-level AI score may be able to estimate the risk of future breast cancer and may be used to identify women at high risk who may benefit from preventive measures, including supplemental screening, US and Norwegian researchers reported in Jama Network Open.

AI tools are being increasingly developed and used in medical science particularly for imaging diagnostics where much work has happened in the last few years. “In this retrospective cohort study of women undergoing screening mammography, mean absolute AI scores were higher for breasts developing vs not developing cancer 4 to 6 years before their eventual detection. These findings suggest that commercial AI algorithms developed for breast cancer detection may identify women at high risk of a future breast cancer, offering a pathway for personalized screening approaches that can lead to earlier cancer diagnosis,” the researchers reported.

Breast cancer is one of the commonest cancers found in women the world over and early detection can help in eliminating the disease almost completely thereby making a cancer free life possible. While screening using mammography is becoming popular the world over the success rate is often patchy. That is where AI can better outcomes.

In India breast and lung cancers account for over three lakh new cases every year.

AI algorithms have been developed to mark areas of concern and provide breast-level and examination-level malignant neoplasm scores to aid interpreting radiologists.However, emerging research suggests that these same AI scores may potentially detect imaging features associated with future breast cancers years before they are detected clinically. 

 

WHO launches global action plan against dengue, other Aedes transmitted diseases

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
WHO launches global action plan against dengue, other Aedes transmitted diseases

An estimated four billion people are at risk of infection around the world, and this number is estimated to increase to 5 billion by 2050

 

The World Health Organisation has launched a Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness and Response Plan (SPRP) to tackle dengue and other diseases caused by viruses carried by the mosquito of the Aedes family.

The purpose of the plan is to mount a coordinated global response that will over time reduce the incidence of dengue, zika and chikungunya. Dengue cases in particular have shown a surge globally with cases rising in all regions of the world. The global body estimates that about four billion people are at risk of these diseases and by 2050 the number could go up by another 25%.

“The rapid spread of dengue and other arboviral diseases in recent years is an alarming trend that demands a coordinated response across sectors and across borders. From maintaining clean environments to supporting vector control and seeking and providing timely medical care, everyone has a role to play in the fight against dengue. This plan is a roadmap to turn the tide against this disease and other Aedes-borne arboviral diseases, protect vulnerable populations and pave the way for a healthier future,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 

Factors such as unplanned urbanization and poor water, sanitation and hygiene practices, climate change and international travel, are facilitating the rapid geographical spread of dengue. The disease is now endemic in more than 130 countries. 

In India in 2023, 485 people died of the disease with the total number of cases being 289235. Figures available with the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme till June this year – which was before dengue season started – show that 32091 cases and 32 deaths had already been reported.

The SPRP comprises five key components essential for a successful outbreak response:  

  1. Emergency coordination: Establishing leadership and coordination activities; 
  2. Collaborative surveillance: Developing and using tools for early detection and control of dengue and other Aedes-borne outbreaks, including strengthened indicator and event-based surveillance, epidemiological analysis, laboratory diagnostics, and field investigations; 
  3. Community protection: Engaging communities through active dialogue and local adaptation of prevention and response measures, including mosquito population control; 
  4. Safe and scalable care: Ensuring effective clinical management and resilient health services to ensure patients can receive adequate care and prevent illness and death; and 
  5. Access to countermeasures: Promoting research and innovation for improved treatments and effective vaccines against these diseases.

 

1...456...234Page 5 of 234