Cannabis effectively manages symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia: Mayo Clinic study

A recent survey conducted by Mayo Clinic’s Department of Integrative Medicine & Health highlighted the widespread use of cannabis among fibromyalgia patients as a self-managed treatment for reducing their symptoms. This significant findings published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings could influence future discussions and treatments that involves cannabis and fibromyalgia management.

The electronic cross-sectional survey utilized the Symptom Management Theory tool and was sent anonymously to a total of 5,234 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia through web-based software. With a 25.5% response rate, 1,336 patients provided valuable insights into their symptom management strategies with the use of cannabis.

The respondents were primarily female with a median age of 48 which revealed a striking prevalence of cannabis use since their fibromyalgia diagnosis. Approximately half of the survey participants (49.5%) reported using cannabis which indicates significance in managing the chronic condition.

The cannabis users pointed to several fibromyalgia symptoms that they attempted to manage with the substance. A notable majority of patients used cannabis for pain relief (98.9%), while fatigue (96.2%), stress, anxiety or depression (93.9%) and insomnia (93.6%) were also commonly treated symptoms. Also, 82% of those using cannabis reported improvements in pain symptoms.

The results suggest that cannabis addresses the primary symptom of pain and also reduce secondary issues such as mental health symptoms and sleep disturbances that are often experienced by the fibromyalgia patients. This multifaceted relief could potentially explain the high rate of cannabis use among the survey participants.

This findings of the survey underline the importance for healthcare providers to be well-informed about cannabis as a potential option for fibromyalgia management. Thereby clinicians are encouraged to consider cannabis in their discussions about therapeutic strategies.

The implications of this survey are particularly relevant in the current healthcare climate where the patients are increasingly seeking natural and integrative treatment approaches. It also highlights the need for further clinical research to better understand the efficacy and safety of cannabis use for fibromyalgia and potentially other chronic pain conditions.

Cannabis continues to be a topic of significant interest and debate within medical circles, the insights from the survey of Mayo Clinic offers a crucial perspective on patient preferences and their real-world application in symptom management. This data serves as a foundation for future studies and discussions to optimize care strategies for fibromyalgia patients in incorporating cannabis as a legitimate medical option under proper supervision and regulation.

Reference:

Singla, A., Anstine, C. V., Huang, L., Rosedahl, J. K., Mohabbat, A. B., & Philpot, L. M. (2024). A Cross-Sectional Survey Study of Cannabis Use for Fibromyalgia Symptom Management. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 99, Issue 4, pp. 542–550). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.12.018

Powered by WPeMatico

Smart nanoprobe illuminates prostate cancer cells, reveals research

Biomedical imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have revolutionized the ability to detect and track the progress of many cancer types. However, the difficulty of obtaining detailed images of cancer cells buried deep within normal tissues has slowed the usefulness of imaging technology for improved, personalized cancer care.

An approach biomedical engineers are pursuing to overcome this limitation involves building nanoprobes that are designed to travel throughout the body, accumulate in cancer cells, and send a signal that illuminates the tumor.

NIBIB-supported researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a smart nanoprobe designed to infiltrate prostate tumors and send back a signal using an optical imaging technique known as Raman spectroscopy. The new probe, reported in Advanced Science, has the potential to determine tumor aggressiveness and could also enable sequential monitoring of tumors during therapy to quickly determine if a treatment strategy is working.

“We are excited about the potential for improving diagnosis and treatment of many common cancers,” explained the project leaders Jeff Bulte, Ph.D., and Ishan Barman, Ph.D. “We are combining self-assembling nanoprobes with Raman spectroscopy to achieve precise, single-cell resolution images required for eventual practical use in the clinic.”

The engineering team constructed a nanoprobe that is sensitive to its local microenvironment: it is activated only after it encounters legumain, a tumor-associated enzyme that is produced by aggressive prostate cancer cells. Once it encounters the nanoprobe, legumain splits it into pieces that can self-assemble to create an optically active nanoparticle. These nanoparticles emit specific wavelengths of light that can be detected with Raman spectroscopy to visualize the tumor.

Postdoctoral fellows Swati Tanwar, Ph.D., and Behnaz Ghaemi, Ph.D., spearheaded the design and synthesis of the nanoprobe, called nanoSABER (for Self-Assembling Bioorthogonal Enzyme Recognition)-an apt name that reflects the surgical precision of the smart molecule.

“We have chosen Raman reporters that are specifically active in the ‘cell silent’ region of the near-infrared spectrum to avoid interference with the signal from normal tissue,” explained Barman. “This selective activity is crucial for our imaging technique, as it allows for precise detection by Raman spectroscopy without reacting with or being obscured by the surrounding biological material.”

The researchers used two prostate cancer cell lines exhibiting varying levels of legumain expression-one high and one low-alongside a non-cancerous prostate epithelial cell line, which produces a negligible amount of the enzyme.

NanoSABER was tested in laboratory cell cultures and in an experimental mouse model. In both settings, the prostate cells expressing legumain activated the nanoprobe and emitted a signal with an intensity that corresponded to the amount of legumain produced by the cancer cells. The non-legumain cell type did not activate the nanoprobe, demonstrating that the nanoSABER system performed as designed, emitting a signal that correctly indicated the presence and amount of the cancer-associated enzyme.

“The work by this group is a significant step towards better care for men afflicted with prostate cancer,” explained Tatjana Atanasijevic, Ph.D., a program director in the Division of Applied Science & Technology at NIBIB. “It is an excellent example of the type of innovative technologies NIBIB supports that have the potential to dramatically impact health care.”

The team believes they have engineered a molecular system with the potential to not only identify tumors using optical imaging but to also rapidly assess tumor aggressiveness-potentially without the need for painful biopsies that are the current standard of care. In addition, as profiles of enzyme secretion by different types of cancers are discovered, additional nanoSABER probes can be synthesized that will allow a level of precise diagnosis of tumor types and characteristics that is not currently possible, including sequential imaging of tumors to determine whether therapies are working in real time.

Reference:

Tanwar S, Ghaemi B, Raj P, Singh A, Wu L, Yuan Y, Arifin DR, McMahon MT, Bulte JWM, Barman I. A Smart Intracellular Self-Assembling Bioorthogonal Raman Active Nanoprobe for Targeted Tumor Imaging. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2023 Dec;10(34):e2304164. doi: 10.1002/advs.202304164.

Powered by WPeMatico

Subcutaneous injection of oxytocin can reduce perception of heat pain, claims study

A recent clinical trial provided strong evidence that subcutaneous injections of oxytocin which is often often associated with social bonding, to hold the key to manage certain types of pain locally without the risk of addiction associated with many pain medications. This study opens up avenues to treat pain in a targeted manner, specifically heat-related pain, without affecting sensitivity to other types of pain or altering the overall threshold for pain perception.

This randomized-controlled trial explored the localized effects of oxytocin on pain management. The trial involved 18 healthy adult participants who underwent two separate sessions where they received either a subcutaneous injection of synthetic oxytocin (4mcg/2ml) or a saline placebo in a double-blind setup.

The results revealed that participants reported a significant reduction in the intensity and unpleasantness of heat pain on the arm that received the oxytocin injection, as measured 10 minutes post-injection with a thermode. This effect was localized, with no comparable pain reduction observed in the contralateral arm, which confirms the action of oxytocin to be restricted around the area of injection site. The hormone did not significantly affect the perception of mechanical or pressure pain, and it did not alter the thresholds for heat pain perception.

These findings highlight the unique potential of oxytocin as a localized treatment for acute heat pain by distinguishing it from other pain relievers that typically have a systemic effect. The specificity of pain-reducing effects by oxytocin could prove beneficial in medical scenarios where managing localized pain effectively and safely is crucial, such as in post-surgical recovery or treatment of localized inflammatory conditions.

The implications of this study are significant for both the scientific community and clinical practice. It suggests that oxytocin could be a potential alternative to traditional pain management therapies that offers a non-addictive and targeted approach to pain relief. The outcomes are optimistic about the potential of oxytocin to be developed into a treatment for localized pain conditions that anticipates further research to explore its mechanisms and broader applications.

With its well-known role in social bonding and its emerging capabilities in pain reduction, oxytocin may soon become a major player in the field of pain management and therapy. Further studies are imperative to explore additional therapeutic applications of oxytocin in pain management by paving the way for innovative treatments that harness the unique properties of the hormone.

Source:

Albinni, B., Zimmerman, M., Ross, J., Ozdoyuran, L., Alasha, V., Schuster, N. M., Said, E., & Case, L. (2024). Subcutaneous Oxytocin Injection Reduces Heat Pain: A randomized-controlled trial. In The Journal of Pain (p. 104547). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104547

Powered by WPeMatico

Study Finds COVID-19 Pandemic Led to Some, But Not Many, Developmental Milestone Delays in Infants and Young Children

Infants and children 5 years old and younger experienced only “modest” delays in developmental milestones due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions and restrictions, a study led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center finds.

In a report on the study that will be published April 22 in JAMA Pediatrics, investigators evaluated possible links between pandemic-related disruptions to everyday life and changes in developmental milestone screening scores. The data were from the Comprehensive Health and Decision Information System (CHADIS), a web-based screening platform caregivers use to complete surveys about their children’s development. It is used by more than 5,000 pediatric practices in 48 U.S. states.

Using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 (ASQ-3), a caregiver-completed measure of child development routinely collected as part of pediatric care, researchers say they found only small decreases in communication, problem-solving, and personal-social skills, and no changes in fine or gross motor skills among children in the study.

“We found, overall, that while there are some changes, the sky is not falling, and that is a really important and reassuring finding,” says Sara Johnson, Ph.D., M.P.H., corresponding author of the study, director of the Rales Center for the Integration of Health and Education at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and Blanket Fort Foundation professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Numerous studies, the researchers say, found the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown restrictions disrupted the lives of many people, including families with young children. Everyday life and daily routines were upended, as schools and child care centers closed, many people began working from home and social contacts diminished. Many experienced increased stress, anxiety and social isolation due to these changes and activity cancellations.

Research has also shown the pandemic is linked to lower child health-related quality of life, increased mental health concerns, decreased sleep and increased risk of obesity. However, the impact of the pandemic on developmental milestones among young children in the U.S. remained unclear, in part because studies designed to address them were done outside the United States, or in small samples. In the new study, Children’s Center researchers looked at the developmental milestone status of 50,205 children, ages 0 to 5 years, drawn from a sample of more than half a million children whose parents or caregivers completed the ASQ-3. The ASQ-3 assesses children’s developmental milestones in five skill domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving and personal-social.

Researchers compared the children before and during the pandemic from 2018 to 2022 and found ASQ-3 score decreases in the communication (about 3%), problem-solving (about 2%) and personal-social (about 2%) skill domains. They found no changes in fine or gross motor skill domains. When looking specifically at infants 0–12 months old, similarly modest effects were observed, and there were only decreases in the communication domain (about 3%) and problem-solving domain (about 2%).

“We thought it was possible infants might experience less impact than the older kids, given that many caregivers may have spent more time at home with their very young children,” says Johnson. “But we saw generally the same things in infants as we did for older kids.”

Also, given an increase in parent and caregiver worry and stress, researchers investigated whether parents and caregivers reported more worries about their child during the pandemic, regardless of milestone achievement, and found worries about their child only increased slightly during the pandemic, compared to before the pandemic.

While the researchers say the findings are reassuring, they add that the implications for children’s long-term development remain unclear.

“It is important for us to continue to keep an eye on kids of all ages in terms of development, so we can understand whether these changes have longer-term implications for children or if new challenges emerge as children age,” says Johnson.

Johnson and her team of investigators believe their study findings will aid in planning for future public health crises, and also demonstrate the importance of shoring up the clinical infrastructure of overburdened health systems in the U.S., particularly developmental behavioral pediatricians, who are specially trained to evaluate and treat developmental concerns. These resources will be essential to respond to the developmental needs of children now and in the future.

The investigators cautioned that the study did not factor in some variables that might have changed the findings, such as prenatal substance abuse and other health conditions. In addition, infants born preterm were excluded from the study, which may underestimate developmental impacts for this subgroup. Researchers also cannot rule out “selection bias” among health care providers participating in CHADIS, and there was no comparison group of children who weren’t exposed to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Powered by WPeMatico

Analysis of direct laryngoscopy versus video laryngoscopy in critically ill patients

Tracheal intubation is essential for managing the airways of severely unwell individuals. Around 80% of intubations in emergency departments and intensive care units globally are done with a direct laryngoscope. DL may provide challenges owing to several circumstances. These factors consist of a restricted mouth opening and the risk of cervical spine instability. Nevertheless, there is a continuing discussion over the effectiveness and safety of venous ligation in critically sick patients. Previous meta-analyses indicated no significant difference in first-attempt intubation success rates among critically sick patients. Several recent randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have been published, including the Direct versus Video Laryngoscope (DEVICE) experiment, which is the biggest trial to date and has shown encouraging results. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing videolaryngoscopy (VL) vs direct laryngoscopy (DL) in critically sick patients was recently published to address this topic.

The study by Zhao et al. aimed to provide a reevaluation of a previous systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Araújo et al. The reevaluation included six additional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were omitted from the original study, thus increasing the total patient count to 4532. The meta-analysis result suggested that video laryngoscopy (VL) significantly enhances the first-attempt success rate compared to direct laryngoscopy (DL), with a relative risk of 1.12 and a 95% confidence interval. Furthermore, a Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) also confirmed the improved first-attempt success rate with VL. The authors concluded that by expanding the sample size and increasing the number of studies, their reevaluation provided more comprehensive evidence-based evidence to support the use of video laryngoscopy over direct laryngoscopy in critically ill patients for endotracheal intubation. These findings have important implications for clinical practice, suggesting that video laryngoscopy may lead to higher first-attempt success rates and therefore should be considered in the intubation process for critically ill patients.

Reference –

Zhao, Y., Wang, Q. & Zang, B. A comparison of video laryngoscopy and direct laryngoscopy in critically ill patients. Crit Care 28, 27 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-024-04811-8.

Powered by WPeMatico

Traditional landmark-based lumbar puncture as effective as ultrasound-guided LP in outpatient settings: UltraGUD LP study

USA: A randomized controlled trial showed no significant impact of ultrasound guidance on the outcomes of lumbar puncture in the regular adult population. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

The study found performer expertise and study settings to be important factors in a successful lumbar puncture. The researchers suggest further study of ultrasound use in specific populations with high BMI, prior back surgeries, and deformities of the spine.

In the realm of neurological procedures, lumbar puncture (LP) holds significant importance as a diagnostic tool for various neurological conditions. Over the years, the debate surrounding the optimal method for performing LP has sparked considerable interest among clinicians and researchers. Recently, a groundbreaking study titled “UltraGUD LP” shed light on this debate, presenting compelling evidence that challenges the conventional wisdom regarding LP techniques.

Lumbar puncture is a common neurologic procedure performed in inpatient and outpatient settings to obtain cerebrospinal fluid. Failure or success depends on several factors, including body mass index, age, spine anatomy, prior back surgery, technical aspects, and the performer’s expertise.

Studies done in pediatrics, emergency departments, and anesthesia settings have shown mixed results with the overall superiority of ultrasound-guided technique. There is a lack of studies done in neurology to look at the benefits of ultrasound-guided LP over traditional LP in outpatient or inpatient settings.

In the “Ultra GUD LP – Ultrasound Guided Diagnostic Lumbar Puncture in Neurology” study, Vijay Renga, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and colleagues compared the effectiveness of both techniques in an outpatient neurology setting.

For this purpose, the researchers performed a prospective randomized control study in clinic settings from 2017 to 2022. Subjects needing lumbar punctures from the outpatient neurology clinics were enrolled at the author’s institution.

Following written informed consent, subjects were randomized into a traditional-landmark-based (n=23) or ultrasound-guided LP approach (n=12). The primary author performed all LPs similarly using a standard spinal needle.

The study led to the following findings:

  • The average number of attempted procedures was 1.54 for the landmark group and 1.38 for the ultrasound group, which was not a significant difference.
  • Ultrasound-guided LP was found to take an average of 6 minutes longer than the landmark method.
  • A total of 3 subjects in each group developed post-LP headache, which, according to the Fisher exact test, does not suggest a significant association between headache and procedure type.
  • There was no significant difference in outcomes across both procedure types in high-risk individuals, including those aged >50 years, those with a BMI >35, and those with a history of prior back surgery.

“Traditional landmark-based LP proved to be as effective as Ultrasound-guided LP in obtaining CSF with a similar success and complication rate with significantly less time taken in the study population,” the researchers wrote.

Reference:

https://www.aan.com/msa/Public/Events/AbstractDetails/56688

Powered by WPeMatico

Even Normal-Range Albuminuria May Increase Risk of progression of Kidney failure among CKD patients: Study

Even Normal-Range Albuminuria May Increase the Risk of progression of Kidney failure among CKD patients suggests a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Albuminuria is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, especially when categorized as moderate (30 to 300 mg/g) or severe (>300 mg/g). However, there are limited data on the prognostic value of albuminuria within the normoalbuminuric range (<30 mg/g) in persons with CKD. A study was done to estimate the increase in the cumulative incidence of CKD progression with greater baseline levels of albuminuria among persons with CKD who had normoalbuminuria (<30 mg/g). 1629 participants meeting criteria from the CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) study with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 20 to 70 mL/min/1.73 m2) and urine albumin–creatinine ratio (UACR) less than 30 mg/g. Baseline spot urine albumin divided by spot urine creatinine to calculate UACR as the exposure variable. The 10-year adjusted cumulative incidences of CKD progression (composite of 50% eGFR decline or kidney failure [dialysis or kidney transplantation]) from confounder adjusted survival curves using the G-formula. Results: Over a median follow-up of 9.8 years, 182 of 1629 participants experienced CKD progression. The 10-year adjusted cumulative incidences of CKD progression were 8.7% (95% CI, 5.9% to 11.6%), 11.5% (CI, 8.8% to 14.3%), and 19.5% (CI, 15.4% to 23.5%) for UACR levels of 0 to less than 5 mg/g, 5 to less than 15 mg/g, and 15 mg/g or more, respectively. Comparing persons with UACR 15 mg/g or more to those with UACR 5 to less than 15 mg/g and 0 to less than 5 mg/g, the absolute risk differences were 7.9% (CI, 3.0% to 12.7%) and 10.7% (CI, 5.8% to 15.6%), respectively. The 10-year adjusted cumulative incidence increased linearly based on baseline UACR levels. Persons with CKD and normoalbuminuria (<30 mg/g) had excess risk for CKD progression, which increased in a linear fashion with higher levels of albuminuria.

Reference:

Ashish Verma, Insa M. Schmidt, Sophie Claudel, et al. Association of Albuminuria With Chronic Kidney Disease Progression in Persons With Chronic Kidney Disease and Normoalbuminuria: A Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. [Epub 2 April 2024]. doi:10.7326/M23-2814

Keywords:

Normal-Range, Albuminuria, May, Increase, Risk, progression, Kidney, failure, CKD patients, study, Ashish Verma, Insa M. Schmidt, Sophie Claudel, Annals of Internal Medicine

Powered by WPeMatico

Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine found clinically effective for malaria chemoprevention in pregnant women: Study

Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) retains parasitological activity and remains effective for preventing P. falciparum infection in pregnant women and low birth weight in babies, even in areas with a high prevalence of mutations associated with SP resistance. This is the main conclusion of a study conducted in southern Mozambique and led by the Manhiça Health Research Institute (CISM) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by “la Caixa” Foundation.

Providing preventive antimalarial treatment to pregnant women and children under five, regardless of whether they are infected, is an effective strategy for reducing the burden of malaria in these two highly vulnerable populations. In pregnant women, monthly doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) after the first trimester have been shown to be safe and effective in reducing the severe consequences of malaria in mothers and their babies, including low birth weight. However, there is concern about the growing prevalence of malaria parasites that carry a series of mutations that decrease the efficacy of SP. Specifically, five mutations in two genes (quintuple mutants) are associated with SP resistance.

“Curiously, even in areas where the prevalence of quintuple mutants is high, chemoprevention with SP still seems to provide a benefit to pregnant women,” says ISGlobal researcher Alfredo Mayor. “Whether this sustained benefit is due to other non-malaria effects of sulfadoxine (which also acts as an antibiotic), or whether there is still a direct effect on malaria infections, is not clear,” he adds.

To answer this question, a team led by Mayor and CISM researcher Glòria Matambisso investigated malaria infections, antibodies, clinical outcomes and parasite resistance markers over three years in a total of 4,016 pregnant women in Southern Mozambique.

SP retains anti-parasite activity

Despite the fact that 94% of infected women at the first antenatal visit carried quintuple mutants, preventive treatment with SP (IPTp-SP) remained effective in those who took three or more doses of SP during pregnancy (84% of the participants). Specifically, they showed increased clearance of P. falciparum infections (the prevalence of infected women fell from 7.7% at the first visit to 1.9% at delivery); had a lower prevalence of antibodies resulting from parasite colonisation of the placenta; and their babies had a higher birth weight, compared to women who took less than three doses of SP.

“Our results suggest that SP retains activity against parasites carrying these five mutations, and that the observed benefit is not only due to sulfadoxine’s antibiotic properties,” says Glória Matambisso, first author of the study. In other words, the sustained parasitological effect of SP in clearing malaria infections, combined with the antibiotic properties of sulfadoxine, may explain why IPTp-SP remains beneficial even in areas where the quintuple mutation is dominant. The authors conclude that, until more effective alternatives are found, SP should continue to be used for malaria chemoprevention in pregnant women, despite the high prevalence of molecular markers of drug resistance.

“This is good news,” says Mayor. But the fact that many of the participants went to their first antenatal visit at week 21 (instead of during the first trimester, as recommended) and that 16% of them failed to receive three or more SP doses, means that there are still major barriers to the successful implementation of IPTp. “We need to strengthen our operational capacities to provide timely chemoprevention to pregnant women,” he adds.

Reference:

Glória Matambisso, Nanna Brokhattingen, Sónia Maculuve, Llorenç Quintó, Eusébio Macete, Alfredo Mayor, Parasitological and clinical effects of malaria chemoprevention with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in pregnant women from southern Mozambique, Journal of Infection, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106144.

Powered by WPeMatico

51 per cent with pre-XDR TB, 15.5 per cent with MDR-TB cases :HaystackAnalytics report

Mumbai: A recent collaboration between HaystackAnalytics and Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune, has illuminated critical insights into the tuberculosis (TB) landscape in India. This study, grounded in real-world data from 600 clinical TB samples, employs cutting-edge whole-genome sequencing (WGS) technology to deepen our understanding of TB dynamics, particularly concerning drug resistance. 

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a formidable global health challenge, with over 2.95 million active cases reported in India alone in 2020.

Among these cases, 135,000 were classified as multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), posing a significant threat to treatment efficacy and control efforts.

Also Read:Karnataka Health Minister writes to Centre seeking supply of anti-TB drugs

WGS plays a pivotal role in identifying drug resistance mutations, facilitating targeted treatment strategies and TB surveillance.

In presumptive MDR-TB cases, WGS revealed pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR-TB) in 50.83 per cent of cases, with MDR-TB found in 15.5 per cent, showing nearly equal proportions among men and women.

The study highlighted resistance not only to rifampicin and isoniazid, first-line drugs for TB treatment but also to fluoroquinolones, commonly used for respiratory and urinary tract infections.

The predominant TB lineages identified were the Beijing genotype (39.5 per cent), followed by Delhi-CAS (36.66 per cent) and EAI (14.50 per cent).

According to a PTI, 55 per cent of cases in the age group from 15-35 years and 67 per cent in the age group up to 14 years had pre-XDR TB, indicating the vulnerability of younger populations to drug-resistant TB strains.

Dr Anirvan Chatterjee, CEO and Co-founder at HaystackAnalytics and a contributor to the study, emphasized the need for tailored TB management strategies, “India bears 27 per cent of the total TB cases in the world, according to the Global TB Report 2023 by WHO. Our study underscores the urgency of revisiting the conventional ‘one size fits all’ approach to TB management.”

Dr Chatterjee continued, “Furthermore, understanding the genetic lineages, particularly the predominance of the Beijing genotype, followed by Delhi-CAS and EAI, is crucial for developing targeted interventions and treatment strategies. When anti-TB therapy is given in the absence of a complete drug resistance profile, such a therapy may contain one or more drugs to which the patient is resistant to, and could compromise the outcome of the therapy”, the news agency PTI reported.

Moreover, the study underscores the rising adoption of WGS by clinicians for accurate diagnostics and personalized treatment pathways. This underscores the need for policy interventions to promote the rational utilization of advanced technologies and ensure adherence to appropriate TB treatment protocols.

Dr Chatterjee further stressed the importance of educating healthcare professionals and patients on the use of diagnostic technologies like whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CBNAAT), especially amidst emerging resistance to newer drugs like bedaquiline.

Also Read:India TB Report-2024: 16 percent decline in new cases since 2015

Powered by WPeMatico

Health Bulletin 22/ April/ 2024

Here are the top health stories for the day:

NEET PG 2024: NBE adopts ‘First Come, First Served’ policy for exam center allocation
For the first time, the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has implemented the ‘first come, first serve’ system for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET PG) 2024 exam centre selection this year.
This move has reportedly resulted in no exam centres being left in Bengaluru for thousands of NEET PG candidates, as per a recent Hindu report.
For more information, click on the link below:
NEET PG 2024: NBE Implements ‘First Come, First Serve’ Basis For Exam Centre Allotment

Baby delivered after mother killed in Israeli attack in Gaza
The tragic consequences of conflict in Gaza are starkly illustrated by the recent Israeli attack in Rafah, which claimed the lives of Sabreen Al-Sakani, her husband, their daughter, and 16 others, including 13 children from a single family. Amidst this devastation, a ray of hope emerges with the miraculous survival of a baby girl delivered through emergency C-section from Sabreen’s womb. Weighing 1.4 kg, she is under the care of Dr. Mohammed Salama and is gradually improving, though orphaned at birth.
The newborn, adorned with a tape across her chest bearing the words “The baby of the martyr Sabreen Al-Sakani,” symbolizes the resilience of life amidst tragedy. Named Rouh, meaning “spirit” in Arabic, by her late sister Malak’s wish, she is a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.

Bird flu outbreak: Invoke steps under health act, Kerala minister directs officials
The recent outbreak of bird flu in two wards of Alappuzha has prompted Health Minister Veena George to take swift action under the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023. She has instructed the director of the health department to initiate necessary measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Panchayat-level committees are being urgently convened in all panchayats of Alappuzha to address the situation effectively. Additionally, neighboring areas are under close surveillance, with district-level monitoring in place. Progress reports are mandated to be submitted at the state level to ensure coordinated efforts.

Powered by WPeMatico