RG Kar Rape-Murder: Protesting medicos visit Bengal secretariat, demand speedy probe

Kolkata: The protesting doctors marched to the West Bengal secretariat on Thursday, urging the issuance of a “no-objection certificate” to facilitate the CBI’s investigation into the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital case.

According to the PTI report, some doctors also went to the CBI’s CGO Complex office and met the officers of the central agency to stress their demand to complete the probe into the R G Kar incident quickly.

“The chief secretary did not meet us. We went to meet him and submit our demand that the state government issues a clearance so that the CBI could complete its investigation in the financial irregularity case of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital,” one of the agitating doctors said.

Also Read:RG Kar Rape-Murder: Calcutta HC directs parents to seek clarification on fresh probe

Police had recovered the body of a woman doctor from inside RG Kar Hospital on August 9.

The CBI has filed a chargesheet against prime accused Sanjay Roy for the rape and murder of the on-duty doctor.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday instructed the counsel for the parents of the woman PG trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in August, to seek clarification from the Supreme Court and a division bench of the High Court regarding their petition for a fresh investigation into the case. As the petition for a fresh probe, filed by the parents of the victim, came up for hearing at the single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, he observed that first there is a need for clarification on whether the ongoing probe in the matter by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the matter is monitored by the Supreme Court or not.

Also Read:’ No evidence of possible struggle’ inside seminar hall, says Forensic Report in RG Kar Case

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AstraZeneca Tagrisso approved in EU for patients with unresectable EGFR-mutated lung cancer

Cambridge: AstraZeneca‘s Tagrisso (osimertinib) has been approved in the European Union (EU) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumours have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) substitution mutations and whose disease has not progressed during or following platinum-based chemoradiation therapy (CRT).

The approval by the European Commission follows the positive opinion of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use and is based on results from the LAURA Phase III trial, which were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

In the trial, Tagrisso reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 84% compared to placebo (hazard ratio 0.16; 95% confidence interval 0.10-0.24; p<0.001) as assessed by blinded independent central review. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 39.1 months in patients treated with Tagrisso versus 5.6 months for placebo.

Overall survival (OS) results remain immature, and the trial is continuing to assess OS as a secondary endpoint.

Each year in Europe, there are more than 450,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer, and approximately 80-85% have NSCLC. Among those with NSCLC in Europe, about 10-15% have tumours with an EGFR mutation.
Manuel Cobo, MD, Specialist Physician of the Medical Oncology Service at the Carlos Haya University Hospital, Malaga, Spain, and investigator for the trial, said, “The approval marks a major breakthrough for patients in the EU with unresectable, EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer, delivering the first targeted treatment in this setting. Osimertinib reduced the risk of disease progression or death by an unprecedented 84 per cent in the LAURA trial, setting a new benchmark for outcomes and underscoring the importance of testing for EGFR mutations upon diagnosis.”

Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said, “Tagrisso is now the first and only EGFR inhibitor and targeted treatment approved in the EU for locally advanced, unresectable lung cancer, providing a new standard of care to patients who have historically experienced early progression after chemoradiation therapy. The powerful results from the LAURA trial show Tagrisso improves outcomes for patients in the unresectable setting, reinforces the importance of timely EGFR testing and solidifies Tagrisso as the backbone therapy in EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.”

The safety and tolerability of Tagrisso in the LAURA trial was consistent with its established profile and no new safety concerns were identified.

This is the fifth major approval for Tagrisso based on the LAURA trial following recent approvals in the US, Switzerland, South Korea and Australia. Regulatory applications are also currently under review in China, Japan and several other countries.

Tagrisso is approved as monotherapy in more than 100 countries including in the US, EU, China and Japan. Approved indications include 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC, locally advanced or metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC, and adjuvant treatment of early-stage EGFRm NSCLC. Tagrisso is also approved in combination with chemotherapy in the US, China and several other countries for 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC.

Read also: Pfizer, AstraZeneca and several other drugmakers in race to join weight loss drug market

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700-bed Civil hospital coming up in Gurugram, Health Minister reviews progress

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday chaired a review meeting regarding the construction process of the 700-bed civil hospital to be built in Gurugram. 

The hospital will be constructed as part of efforts to improve healthcare services in the region.

During the meeting, the Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal while providing an update on the construction progress of the civil hospital in Civil Lines shared that the hospital will be built on 7.73 acres of land at a cost of around Rs. 990 crore.

The hospital will consist of a 13-story building, including a basement, ground floor, and 11 floors. The hospital will include 60 ICU beds, 12 operation theaters, and an emergency helipad, among other important facilities.

Also Read:Gurugram to get 700-bed Govt Hospital named after Guru Nanak Dev

He further shared that at present there is a nearby government school built on approximately 1.5 acres of land to provide more space for the hospital’s future needs and improve public access to the facility. The state government can think of shifting the school building on the opposite side of the road to a 2.5-acre plot of land owned by the Education Department.

Meanwhile, after receiving a detailed report on the progress of the hospital’s construction, the Chief Minister directed that arrangements should be made according to the project’s timeline. He further directed the officers to ensure that the hospital meets the future medical needs of the city. He also directed that the new building for the school, proposed by the Education Department, be constructed in a multi-story design. He said that the school should continue to operate in its current building until the new one is ready.

Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit Singh, Health Minister, Kumari Arti Singh Rao, Industries & Commerce, Environment, Forest & Wildlife Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, Pataudi MLA, Bimla Chaudhary, Sohna MLA Tejpal Tanwar, Gurugram MLA Mukesh Sharma and other officers also remained present during this.

Also Read:Haryana Govt to enhance health facilities for Soldiers, Ex-Servicemen

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NT-proBNP levels useful tool to predict increased risk of Atrial Fibrillation, reveals research

A recent groundbreaking study
found that NT-proBNP levels are associated with an increased risk of atrial
fibrillation in older adults, as per results that were published in the journal
Heart.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic
peptide (NT-proBNP) is a widely recognized and established biomarker for
cardiac conditions like heart failure. However, there is ambiguity in
establishing its role or predicting atrial fibrillation. Hence, researchers
from China conducted a study to evaluate the association between NT-proBNP
levels and the incidence of AF and explore the potential of NT-proBNP in
enhancing AF risk prediction models.

Also Read: Drinking multiple cups of coffee may help prevent mental decline in people with atrial fibrillation: Study

A systematic review and
meta-analysis were conducted by searching databases like PubMed, Embase,
Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to August 2024. All
the prospective studies that reported the association between baseline
NT-proBNP levels and incident AF were included. Random effects models were used
to pool the Hazard ratios and relative risks with 95% confidence intervals.

Findings:

  • About 136 089 participants from 16 cohorts were
    included in the meta-analysis.
  • Among them, there were 8017 incident AF cases.
  • Higher NT-proBNP levels were significantly associated
    with an increased risk of developing AF, with a relative risk of 3.84 when
    comparing the top and bottom quartiles.
  • It also showed a 1.70 relative risk per standard
    deviation increment.
  • A significant non-linear dose-response
    relationship was seen (Pnon-linearity<0.05).
  • The association was stronger in older
    populations and when serum samples were used.
  • Incorporating NT-proBNP levels into traditional AF
    risk models increased the predictive accuracy.

Thus, the study highlighted the
potential value of adding NT-proBNP levels in the risk stratification of atrial
fibrillation. The study underscores the importance of using NT=proBNP as a
valuable biomarker for identifying individuals at potential risk of developing
AF. Due to its predictive accuracy, the researchers suggested adding this to
the AF risk assessment tools.

Also Read: Partial Cardiac Denervation Reduces Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Risk After CABG: pCAD-POAF trial

The study also highlights the
potential of using NT-proBNP levels for more intensive screening and early
identification of Atrial fibrillation. Personalized treatment approaches can be
used due to early identification by using NT-proBNP levels for AF and also developing
a preventive strategy for at-risk individuals.

Further reading: Wang W, Zhou T, Li J,
et al. Association between NT-proBNP levels and risk of atrial
fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Heart Published
Online First: 06 December 2024. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2024-324685

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High-protein diet may enhance glycemic control by boosting peripheral insulin levels, finds study

A study published in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism found that a high-protein diet may enhance glycemic control by boosting peripheral insulin levels.

High-protein diets have been recognized as a potential strategy in the nutritional management of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Mycoprotein is a high-fibre, high-protein food ingredient previously shown to improve acute glycaemic control.

We determined whether incorporating mycoprotein into a high-protein vegan diet would improve glycaemic control to a greater extent than an isonitrogenous omnivorous diet in people with T2D.

Seventeen adults (f = 5, age = 58.3 ± 8.3 years, BMI = 32.9 ± 4.7 kg∙m−2, HbA1c = 60 ± 15 mmol∙mol−1) with T2D were randomly allocated to a 5-week eucaloric high-protein (30% energy from protein) diet, either an omnivorous diet (OMNI; 70% protein from omnivorous sources) or an isonitrogenous, mycoprotein-rich, vegan diet (VEG; 50% protein from mycoprotein). Glycaemic control was assessed using a two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp (HEC) with D-[6,6-2H2] glucose infusion, a mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT) and continuous glucose monitoring.

Results: The rate of glucose disappearance (RdT), glucose disposal rate and endogenous glucose production, as well as postprandial time-course of blood glucose, serum insulin and C-peptide were assessed during the HEC and MMTT, respectively. Both groups had improved peripheral insulin sensitivity (intervention effect, p = 0.006; increased RdT/Insulin of 1.0 ± 0.6 and 1.0 ± 0.3 mg kg−1 min−1 in OMNI and VEG, respectively), HbA1c (intervention; p = 0.001) and glycaemic variability (intervention; p = 0.040; increased time in-range of 11.8 ± 9.3% and 23.3 ± 12.9% in OMNI and VEG). There were no improvements in hepatic insulin sensitivity or in postprandial blood glucose and serum C-peptide (p > 0.05) during the MMTT.

Conclusions

High-protein diets, whether predicated on vegan or omnivorous proteins, can improve glycaemic control by increasing peripheral insulin sensitivity in people with T2D.

Reference:

Whelehan G, Dirks ML, West S, et al. High-protein vegan and omnivorous diets improve peripheral insulin sensitivity to a similar extent in people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024; 1-10. doi:10.1111/dom.16100

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Higher dosage of anticoagulation linked to lower mortality risk among COVID-19 patients: Study

A prospective metanalysis of clinical trials examined the effects of high and low doses of anticoagulation for hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The study found that administering therapeutic dose anticoagulation with heparins reduced mortality, need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and thromboembolic events compared with prophylactic dose heparins. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers funded by the World Health Organization studied data from 18 randomized clinical trials which randomly assigned patients hospitalized for COVID-19 to higher versus lower doses of anticoagulants. The intensity of anticoagulant used was classified as prophylactic, intermediate, or therapeutic dosing.

The objective of the study was to estimate intention-to-treat effects of therapeutic vs prophylactic; therapeutic vs intermediate; and intermediate vs prophylactic dose anticoagulation in hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality by 28 days after randomization, and secondary outcomes were progression to IMV or death, thromboembolic events and major bleeding.

The majority of trials studied evaluated heparins, including enoxaparin, tinzaparin or dalteparin, so the researchers focused their findings on anticoagulation using heparins. The researchers found that administering therapeutic vs prophylactic-dose anticoagulation to patients hospitalized for COVID-19 was associated with 23% lower 28-day mortality. Mortality was higher for therapeutic vs intermediate dose anticoagulation; however, the researchers note that this comparison was not estimated precisely. Mortality risk was similar for similar for intermediate vs prophylactic dose anticoagulation. Risk of progression to IMV or death was similar to mortality risk. Across all dosage comparisons, the risk for major bleeding was higher, but the risk for thromboembolic events was lower.

The findings suggest a high certainty that therapeutic dose anticoagulation of heparin reduces 28-day mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Reference:

The WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies (REACT) Working Group, The WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies (REACT) Working Group, et al. Anticoagulation Among Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Prospective Meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. [Epub 24 December 2024]. doi:10.7326/ANNALS-24-00800

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Potassium nitrate fails to improve aerobic capacity or QoL in participants with HFpEF, unravels JAMA study

A new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association showed that individuals with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) did not see improvements in aerobic capacity, total work, or quality of life after taking potassium nitrate.

The patients with HFpEF have been reported to have impaired nitric oxide (NO) signaling. However, there has been no improvement in exercise capacity in this state despite attempts to restore NO bioavailability by organic nitrate supplementation, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibition, or activation of the soluble guanylate-cyclase receptor. As an alternative, supplementing with inorganic nitrate can enhance NO signaling. In this supplementary route, oral commensal bacteria absorb inorganic nitrate and then use an enterosalivary circuit to convert it to nitrite.

The patients with heart failure with maintained ejection fraction may have exercise intolerance as a result of nitric oxide insufficiency. Previous pilot investigations have demonstrated that short-term and single-dose inorganic nitrate treatment improves exercise tolerance. To evaluate the effect of long-term inorganic nitrate administration on exercise tolerance in a bigger trial of people with HFpEF, Payman Zamani and his team carried out this investigation.

From October 2016 to July 2022, participants with Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center were included in this multicenter randomized double-blind crossover study. The patients with symptomatic (NYHA class II/III) HFpEF who had objective evidence of higher left ventricular filling pressures were among the participants.

In 2024, image quantification, statistical analysis, unblinding, physiological data modeling, and biochemical tests were finished. Peak oxygen uptake and total work completed during a maximum effort incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test were the coprimary end goals. activity systemic vasodilatory reserve (i.e., the decrease in systemic vascular resistance with activity) and quality of life as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire were secondary endpoints.

There were a total of 84 contestants, where 58 participants (69.0%) were female, and the median age was 68 years. With a mean 6-minute walk distance of 335.5 (SD, 97.3) m, the majority of individuals (69%) had NYHA class II illness.

The KNO3 and KCl interventions were administered to 77 and 74 subjects, respectively. After 6 weeks, KNO3 raised the trough levels of metabolites of serum nitric oxide. KNO3 had no effect on total work completed or peak oxygen consumption.

Although KNO3 nitrate was well tolerated, it had no effect on quality of life or vasodilatory reserve. Overall, when compared to KCl, chronic KNO3 treatment did not enhance exercise capacity or quality of life in persons with HFpEF in this randomized crossover experiment.

Source:

Zamani, P., Shah, S. J., Cohen, J. B., Zhao, M., Yang, W., Afable, J. L., Caturla, M., Maynard, H., Pourmussa, B., Demastus, C., Mohanty, I., Miyake, M. M., Adusumalli, S., Margulies, K. B., Prenner, S. B., Poole, D. C., Wilson, N., Reddy, R., Townsend, R. R., … Chirinos, J. A. (2024). Potassium Nitrate in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. In JAMA Cardiology. American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2024.4417

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Intratracheal budesonide improves survival in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Study 📖

A recent clinical trial published in the Journal of American Medical Association found the potential of early intratracheal budesonide administration to improve outcomes in extremely preterm infants at risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The study spanned across neonatal units in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Singapore on infants born before 28 weeks of gestation to evaluate whether adding budesonide to surfactant treatment could enhance survival without BPD.

This study was conducted between January 2018 and March 2023, and involved a total of 1059 infants under 48 hours old. The participants, who were on mechanical ventilation or receiving noninvasive respiratory support requiring surfactant, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group received a mixture of budesonide (0.25 mg/kg) and surfactant (poractant alfa) via an endotracheal tube or thin catheter. The control group received surfactant alone.

Survival without BPD at 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age was the primary outcome and this showed modest results. Among the budesonide group, 25.6% of infants survived without BPD compared to 22.6% in the surfactant-only group. This yielded an adjusted risk difference of 2.7%, with a confidence interval indicating no statistically significant difference (-2.1% to 7.4%).

Survival rates at 36 weeks were slightly higher in the budesonide group (83.2%) versus the surfactant-only group (80.6%). However, rates of BPD among survivors were similar, with 69.3% of the budesonide group and 71.9% of the control group diagnosed with the condition.

Secondary safety analyses reviewed adverse events but did not show significant differences between groups. The findings suggest that while the intratracheal administration of budesonide is safe and offers limited improvement in clinical outcomes regarding BPD prevention.

While the addition of budesonide to surfactant therapy demonstrated safety, its marginal effect on reducing BPD suggests that alternative strategies may be necessary to improve outcomes in this vulnerable population. Overall, the study illuminates the complexities of treating respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants and the need for further exploration of effective therapies.

Reference:

Manley, B. J., Kamlin, C. O. F., Donath, S. M., Francis, K. L., Cheong, J. L. Y., Dargaville, P. A., Dawson, J. A., Jacobs, S. E., Birch, P., Resnick, S. M., Schmölzer, G. M., Law, B., Bhatia, R., Bach, K. P., de Waal, K., Travadi, J. N., Koorts, P. J., Berry, M. J., Lui, K., … Jeong, W. (2024). Intratracheal Budesonide Mixed With Surfactant for Extremely Preterm Infants. In JAMA (Vol. 332, Issue 22, p. 1889). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.17380

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Higher Daily Step Counts Linked to Lower Depression Risk in Adults: Study

According to the findings from a recent research, higher daily step counts are linked with fewer depressive symptoms. The new systematic review with meta-analysis of 33 studies that involved more than 96,000 adults found that people who took higher steps per day also experienced lower levels of depression compared with those who had minimal physical activities. This study was conducted by Bruno B.P. and colleagues which was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to examine the relationship between objectively measured daily step counts and depression in adults. Data were drawn from five major databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science up to May 18, 2024. There were thirty-three observational studies included, consisting of 27 cross-sectional and 6 longitudinal studies (3 panel and 3 prospective cohorts).

Of all the analyzed adults 96,173, aged 18 years or more, were from diverse age ranges of mean: 18.6 and 91.2. The effect sizes like the standardized mean difference SMD and the risk ratio, RR pooled were applied to evaluate association for step counts and depression symptomatology. The analysis also used Sidik Jonkman’s random effect so as not to make the outcomes loose.

The study showed clear evidence that higher daily steps were inversely related to depression symptoms:

  • Participants with steps/day of 10,000 or more had considerable reductions in depressive symptoms. SMD: −0.26; 95% CI: −0.38 to −0.14.

  • Participants with 7500 to 9999 steps/day gained similar benefits. SMD: −0.27; 95% CI: −0.43 to −0.11.

  • Walking 5000 to 7499 steps/day also decreased depressive symptoms, although to a lesser degree (SMD: −0.17; 95% CI: −0.30 to −0.04).

  • Risk reduction: Prospective cohort studies showed that people walking 7000 or more steps/day had a 31% lower risk of depression than those walking less than 7000 steps/day (RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.62-0.77).

  • Incremental benefits: With each extra 1000 steps taken a day, the incidence of depression was reduced by 9% (RR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.87-0.94).

Higher daily steps had a correlation with lower symptom level of depression among adults. Walking 7000 to 10,000 steps daily was linked to a significant reduction in depression risk, with incremental benefits observed for every 1000 additional steps. These findings highlight the importance of daily physical activity as a straightforward approach to improving mental health.

Reference:

Bizzozero-Peroni B, Díaz-Goñi V, Jiménez-López E, et al. Daily Step Count and Depression in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(12):e2451208. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.51208

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Preterm Birth may have devastating Impact on Neonatal Mortality Worldwide, finds study

Preterm birth, which occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation, is a prevalent adverse outcome during childbirth, impacting around 10% of all births globally. It is the primary contributor to neonatal deaths and ranks second among the leading causes of mortality for children under five years old worldwide.Recent population-based matched cohort study examined the associations between preterm birth (PTB) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality from birth to adulthood (up to 36 years of age) in Canada. The study used vital statistics data on live births in Canada from 1983 to 1996 and followed individuals until 2019.

Key Findings on All-Cause Mortality

Overall, the study found that individuals born preterm were at an increased risk of mortality compared to those born at term. In the unmatched cohort, the unadjusted incidence rate of all-cause mortality was higher among those born preterm, with the risk increasing as gestational age (GA) decreased. In the matched cohort, PTB was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality between ages 1-36 years (risk difference [RD]: 0.54%, risk ratio [RR]: 1.49). The highest RDs and RRs were observed in the first year of life (RD: 2.29%, RR: 11.61) and early childhood (ages 1-5 years, RD: 0.34%, RR: 2.79), with the lowest in ages 18-28 years (RD: 0.07%, RR: 1.13). The associations were stronger for lower GA categories.

Key Findings on Cause-Specific Mortality

For cause-specific mortality, PTB was associated with increased risks of mortality related to respiratory, circulatory, and digestive system disorders; nervous system, endocrine, and infectious diseases; cancers; congenital malformations; and conditions originating in the perinatal period. No associations were found for external causes of mortality.

Implications and Recommendations

The findings suggest that individuals born preterm, especially at lower GAs, are at increased risk of mortality from birth through their third and fourth decades of life. These associations may be partly due to underlying health determinants that affected both PTB and mortality. The results highlight the need to recognize PTB as a risk factor for mortality and to develop preventive strategies. Further follow-up studies are needed to assess potential adverse consequences of PTB into adulthood.

Concluding Remarks

In summary, this large population-based study provides comprehensive evidence on the increased risks of both short-term and long-term mortality associated with PTB, especially at lower GAs, in a North American setting. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing PTB as a major public health concern.

Key Points

1. The study examined the associations between preterm birth (PTB) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality from birth to adulthood (up to 36 years of age) in Canada, using vital statistics data on live births from 1983 to 1996.

2. The study found that individuals born preterm were at an increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to those born at term, with the risk increasing as gestational age decreased. The highest risk differences and risk ratios were observed in the first year of life and early childhood.

3. For cause-specific mortality, PTB was associated with increased risks of mortality related to respiratory, circulatory, and digestive system disorders; nervous system, endocrine, and infectious diseases; cancers; congenital malformations; and conditions originating in the perinatal period. No associations were found for external causes of mortality.

4. The findings suggest that individuals born preterm, especially at lower gestational ages, are at increased risk of mortality from birth through their third and fourth decades of life, which may be partly due to underlying health determinants that affected both PTB and mortality.

5. The results highlight the need to recognize PTB as a risk factor for mortality and to develop preventive strategies to address this public health concern.

6. Further follow-up studies are needed to assess potential adverse consequences of PTB into adulthood.

Reference –

Asma M Ahmed et al. (2024). Short-Term And Long-Term Mortality Risk After Preterm Birth. *JAMA Network Open*, 7. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.45871.

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