Understanding Hemoglobin and Its Role in the Body

• What is Hemoglobin?
  Hemoglobin is a vital protein found in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. It consists of globin (protein) and heme (iron), which work together to bind oxygen molecules for delivery throughout the body.
• Why Hemoglobin Levels Matter:
  Hemoglobin plays a key role in maintaining overall health by ensuring adequate oxygen supply and energy production. The normal range for hemoglobin levels differs for men and women, and abnormal levels may indicate underlying health issues.
• What Constitutes High Hemoglobin Levels?
  Elevated hemoglobin, also known as polycythemia, occurs when hemoglobin levels surpass the normal range. This condition can result from factors such as high altitude living, certain medical conditions, or chronic diseases.

Causes of High Hemoglobin Levels

• Primary Polycythemia (Polycythemia Vera):
  Polycythemia vera (PV) is a rare blood disorder caused by genetic mutations (e.g., JAK2) that result in the overproduction of red blood cells by the bone marrow. Common symptoms include dizziness, headaches, and splenomegaly (enlarged spleen).
• Secondary Polycythemia:
  Various conditions, such as lung diseases (e.g., COPD), congenital heart disease, or chronic hypoxia, can trigger secondary polycythemia. In response to reduced oxygen levels, the body increases hemoglobin production to compensate. Living at high altitudes also contributes to elevated hemoglobin levels due to lower oxygen availability.
• Dehydration and Hemoconcentration:
  Hemoconcentration occurs when dehydration reduces plasma volume, leading to a temporary rise in hemoglobin levels.
• Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs:
  Athletes may use substances like erythropoietin (EPO) or anabolic steroids to artificially boost red blood cell production and hemoglobin levels, which can pose significant health risks.

Effects of Consistently High Hemoglobin Levels on the Body

• Increased Blood Viscosity and Sluggish Circulation:
  Thickened blood due to high hemoglobin levels makes it more difficult for the heart to pump efficiently, slowing circulation and hindering the transport of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs.
• High Blood Pressure:
  Elevated hemoglobin can lead to increased blood pressure, placing extra strain on the cardiovascular system. This increases the risk of complications such as heart failure, stroke, and kidney damage.
• Increased Risk of Blood Clots (Thrombosis):
  Higher hemoglobin levels result in thicker blood, which can cause blood clots to form in arteries and veins. This raises the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, and strokes. Signs of blood clots include swelling, redness, and shortness of breath.
• Enlarged Spleen (Splenomegaly):
  The spleen works to filter damaged red blood cells, and excess production can lead to splenomegaly. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness and pain in the upper left abdomen.
• Headaches and Dizziness:
  Increased blood viscosity can result in inadequate circulation to the brain, causing frequent headaches and dizziness due to poor oxygen supply.
• Fatigue and Shortness of Breath:
  Despite the increased oxygen-carrying capacity, high hemoglobin levels can strain the heart and lungs, leading to fatigue and shortness of breath, particularly during physical activity.
• Reddish or Purplish Skin Tone:
  High hemoglobin can cause a reddish or purplish tint to the skin, especially in the face and extremities, due to increased blood flow. Severe oxygen deprivation can lead to cyanosis, or a bluish discoloration of the skin.
• Night Sweats and Itching:
  Individuals with polycythemia vera may experience night sweats and itching after warm showers due to abnormal histamine release from the elevated red blood cell count.

Long-Term Health Risks of High Hemoglobin Levels

• Cardiovascular Complications:
  Consistently high hemoglobin levels increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and atherosclerosis. Thicker blood and high blood pressure can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries, heightening the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH):
  Elevated hemoglobin can increase the risk of CTEPH, a condition where blood clots cause chronic high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, leading to heart failure.
• Kidney Damage:
  High hemoglobin can put extra strain on the kidneys, impairing their function over time and increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease.
• Gout and Elevated Uric Acid Levels:
  High hemoglobin, particularly in cases of polycythemia vera, can lead to elevated uric acid levels in the blood, increasing the likelihood of gout. Symptoms include painful joint inflammation, especially in the big toe.

Diagnostic Approaches for High Hemoglobin Levels

• Blood Tests for Hemoglobin:
  Hemoglobin levels are typically measured using a complete blood count (CBC). The normal range varies by age and sex, with elevated levels indicating polycythemia or other potential conditions.
• Additional Diagnostic Tests:

• Erythropoietin (EPO) Test: Determines whether elevated hemoglobin is due to primary polycythemia (low EPO) or secondary causes (high EPO).
• Bone Marrow Biopsy: This test checks for abnormal cell production in polycythemia vera.
• Oxygen Saturation Testing: Measures oxygen levels in the blood to assess whether high hemoglobin results from chronic hypoxia.
• Imaging Tests:

• Chest X-ray or CT Scan: These imaging tests can help identify underlying lung or heart conditions contributing to elevated hemoglobin.
• Ultrasound or MRI of the Spleen: Imaging may be used to assess spleen enlargement in cases of suspected splenomegaly.

Treatment Options for High Hemoglobin Levels

• Phlebotomy (Bloodletting):
  A common treatment for polycythemia vera, phlebotomy involves removing blood to reduce hemoglobin levels and relieve symptoms. Treatments may be repeated regularly depending on severity.
• Medications to Lower Hemoglobin:

• Hydroxyurea: This medication suppresses bone marrow activity to reduce red blood cell production in polycythemia vera.
• Interferon Therapy: Interferon is used to regulate the immune system and control excessive blood cell production.
• Aspirin Therapy: Low-dose aspirin can be used to reduce the risk of blood clots in individuals with high hemoglobin.
• Treating Underlying Conditions:

• Oxygen Therapy: This is often used for chronic hypoxia to lower hemoglobin production by improving oxygen levels in the blood.
• Smoking Cessation: Quitting smoking is essential for individuals with high hemoglobin related to chronic hypoxia.

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Starting a blog in 2024 to encourage writing skills in undergraduate students is a great initiative! Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

1. Choose a Niche and Audience

Since your goal is to encourage writing among undergraduate students, focus the blog on:

• Creative writing (essays, stories, poems)
• Academic writing tips
• Writing competitions and prompts
• Peer reviews and feedback
• Writing career opportunities

Encourage engagement by making the blog a platform for student work submissions, writing challenges, and discussions.

2. Select a Blogging Platform

Pick a user-friendly platform to create and host the blog. Popular options include:

• WordPress (offers customizable templates and plugins)
• Wix (drag-and-drop builder, good for beginners)
• Medium (easy to use and can help you reach a wider audience)
• Pharmanewz.pedatrix.co(Just write your blog post and send to us! No cost on you!)

For students, having an interactive platform is essential, so look for a platform that allows comments, discussions, and content submission.

3. Domain and Hosting

• Choose a relevant domain name (e.g., studentwriters.com or writewithus.org).
• Select a hosting provider if you’re using platforms like WordPress.org. Some reliable options are:
  • Bluehost
  • SiteGround
  • Hostinger
  • Pedatrix.com

4. Design the Blog

• Simple and clean design: Make navigation easy with clear categories like Student Submissions, Writing Tips, Competitions, etc.
• Use a responsive theme to make sure it works well on mobile devices.

5. Content Strategy

• Writing Prompts: Create weekly or monthly writing prompts to inspire students to submit content.
• Guest Posts: Allow students to write guest posts on different topics related to writing and literature.
• Tutorials: Write blog posts on how to improve writing skills, covering grammar, structure, creativity, etc.
• Peer Feedback Section: Allow peer-to-peer reviews where students can offer constructive criticism on each other’s work.

6. Engage Your Audience

• Create a community by encouraging students to comment, share, and provide feedback.
• Organize writing challenges and competitions to motivate participation.
• Feature “Writer of the Month” or “Best Submission” sections to highlight talented students.

7. Promote the Blog

• Use social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) to reach more students and writers.
• Collaborate with universities and student writing clubs to promote the blog among undergraduates.
• Start a newsletter to keep your audience updated on new blog posts, challenges, and events.

8. Monetize the Blog (Optional)

• Use Google AdSense or affiliate marketing to generate revenue if the blog gains traction.
• Consider offering writing courses or workshops for advanced learners, which can be a paid service.

9. Maintain Consistency

• Post content regularly and keep the blog updated with new writing tips, writing challenges, and students’ submissions.
• Encourage interaction by responding to comments and offering feedback on submissions.

Tools and Resources for Writers:

• Grammarly (for grammar checking)
• Hemingway App (to improve readability)
• Google Docs (collaborative writing)
• Trello (for content planning)
• Turnitin(for plagiarism check)

The post How to start a blog? appeared first on .

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a widespread or commonly occurring psychological disorder that affects 1% to 3% of people worldwide. (1) It involves having unwanted thoughts, called obsessions, and feeling the need to repeat certain actions again and again, called compulsions. Obsession are unwanted, repeated thoughts which are hard to control. Compulsions are actions or thoughts that people with OCD perform repeatedly to relieve their anxiety or to prevent something bad from happening.(2) These symptoms takes a lots of patient’s time and make them feel very upset due to which they face difficulty in performing daily activities. People with OCD tend to avoid situations that trigger their obsessive thoughts. (3)

OCD is a diverse condition that is caused by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. (4) Most adults feel upset by their unwanted thoughts or actions and they know that they repeat their actions again and again. Children often have difficulty in explaining their unwanted thoughts. In OCD, common fears and actions include fear of germs, excessive cleaning, concern about danger, having disturbing thoughts that lead to mental rituals, and things to be organized which leads to arranging or counting.(5,6) OCD can also present with less common symptoms such as excessive concerned with moral issues, intense jealousy, or a passion for music.(7,8)

The perception of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) has changed a lot over time. In the past, people thought it was related to moral problems or even evil spirits. A doctor named Esquirol was the first to describe it medically. Later, Freud, a famous psychologist, called it “obsession neurosis” and suggested that it began due to issues during early childhood development, particularly at the stage when children are learning to control their bowel movements. (9)

CAUSES

The causes of OCD are complex and involve many different factors such as thinking patterns, genes, molecules, environment, and brain function. Studies of twins show that genetics play a big role, with about 48% of the risk coming from genes. (10, 11) But, the genetic effect is reduced to about 35% when maternal influences during pregnancy, such as stress or infection, are considered. (12)OCD in children is more influenced by genetics than in adults. (13) This suggests that OCD that begins in childhood may be a distinct form of the disorder. The results of extensive genetic studies (14, 15) and combined research on specific genes (16) indicates that OCD is affected by multiple genes, each of which has a small effect. Together, these genes contribute to the development of the disorder. Research shows that many different factors can cause OCD in people of all ages. These factors include problems with behavior, brain function, infection, and the immune system, all of which may be linked. (17-22)

Researchers are looking at how genes affect OCD and how these genes relate to other mental and immune problems. (23) One gene being studied is SLC6A4, which influences OCD through genetic changes and processes such as DNA methylation. (24)In addition to the SLC6A4 gene, researchers are also studying other genes related to the serotonin system for their role in OCD. These include the HTR2A, HTR1B and HTR2C genes. (25)

  EPIDEMIOLOGY

At first, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was thought to be quite rare. However, when detailed community surveys were conducted using specific criteria for diagnosing mental disorders, they revealed that OCD is actually one of the most common mental disorders. (26) These studies revealed that OCD contributes significantly to the global burden of disease. (27)

OCD is more common in women than men in the general population. However, in treatment clinics, the numbers of men and women with OCD are approximately equal. OCD affects people of all income levels and is found in both poor and rich countries.

The US National Comorbidity Survey found that about 20% of people with OCD develop symptoms by age 10 or earlier. (28,29) Researchers say OCD usually begins around age 11 and then into early adulthood.(30) Children with OCD are more commonly boys than girls, but not all studies agree. (31,32)

CYCLE OF OCD

There are four stages in OCD cycle:

• OBSESSION
• ANXIETY
• COMPUSION
• TEMPORARY RELIEF

Fig.1.1 Stages of OCD cycle

OBSESSION

OCD thoughts can cover many topics, such as germs or violence, and they are different for everyone. These thoughts can be very disturbing and do not match your own beliefs, especially if you think about them too much or do not understand them.

ANXIETY

OCD thoughts are extremely distressing which causes a significant anxiety and fear. OCD was considered as an  anxiety disorder for many years. People with OCD often believe that their intense anxiety indicates that something terrible is happening, and this makes their fear true To get relieve from this anxiety, they feel compelled to perform specific tasks or rituals.

COMPULSIONS

Compulsions are the  actions or thoughts that you used to reduce the anxiety from OCD. They can be things you do physically or just in your mind. For example, if you’re worried that your thought may cause a disaster, you may feel the need to mentally remove the thought many times to keep everyone safe.

TEMPORARY RELIEF

After meeting your obligations, you may feel better for a while, but it won’t last for a long time. OCD will constantly add new worries in your mind, this cycle will continue as long as you are afraid and try to avoid these thoughts.

Categories of OCD symptoms:

• Symmetry and arranging
• Contamination symptoms
• Unacceptable thoughts
• Risk and hesitation

FIG.1.2 Types of OCD symptoms

TREATMENT OF OCD

Many individuals can get benefit from treatment, including those which have severe OCD. Healthcare providers use medications, psychological therapy, or a combination of the two to treat OCD. A mental health professional can help you choose the most appropriate treatment and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Psychological therapy

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

It is a proven and first-choice treatment for OCD. It helps by changing the harmful thoughts and behaviors of the patients. This therapy focuses on rewiring the way that person thinks and acts. CBT aims to replace the unhealthy thoughts and behavior patterns with the healthier ones.

In CBT, exposure and response prevention (ERP) method is very successful approach to treat OCD. It involves exposing patients to things that causes anxiety and they are taught that they should not act on their compulsive behaviors. (33)

PHARMACOTHERAPY

1. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Selective Serotonin reuptake Inhibiters (SSRIs): These are the best medicine to treat OCD because they are highly effective and show very less side effects.

In 1989, Goodman and his team discovered that fluvoxamine was very effective in managing OCD. (34) After that, over 20 studies proved that SSRIs are more effective in the treatment of OCD. (35, 36)

Side effects of SSRIs are:

• Weight gain
• Sleep disturbance
• Nausea
• Low libido
• Diarrhea

• Tricyclic antidepressants

CLOMIPRAMINE: It was very useful medicine in the 1980s, which is used to treat depression. The effectiveness of clomipramine is similar to SSRIs, but it shows  more side effects like sedation, weight gain, etc. which makes it less suitable for the treatment.(37,38) The active metabolite of clomipramine is desmethylclomipramine. Clomipramine affects serotonin and Desmethylclomipramine affects the norepinephrine neurotransmitter. It is metabolized in liver with the help of CYP1A2 enzyme. People who have low level of CYP1A2 enzyme they need small or low dose of clomipramine. It is not allowed to prescribed Clomipramine in combination with MAO inhibitors or CYP 450 2D6 because it will show some toxic symptoms like arrhythmia, low blood pressure, seizures, etc.

Sometimes Clomipramine is also used in the treatment of many other diseases which is not officially approved like:

• Depression (39)
• Sudden muscle weakness (40)
• Anxiety (41)
• Neuralgia (42)
• Premature or early ejaculation (43)
• Panic attacks (44)
• Sleep disorder (40)

Side effects of antidepressants are:

• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Tachycardia
• Headache
• Nausea

• Antipsychotics

Antipsychotics and other classes of drugs are recommended by the doctors to OCD patients when antidepressant does not show their actions properly.

DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION (DBS)

It is a flexible and reversible method which is used in the treatment of severe OCD. It shows action upto 40 to 70% of the patients who get this treatment. In this procedure, an electrode is placed in the deep brain by surgical method, then the electrode stimulates the nearby area of the brain. DBS target only some specific regions like the anterior limb of the internal capsule and the ventral striatum. It is a safe and impactful treatment authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (1,2)

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The findings could improve cancer treatment and drug delivery to treat tumours

Researchers from King’s College London’s (KCL) School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging sciences, along with partners at the University of Michigan, the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale in Paris, Norway and Germany, are using shear waves to map blood vessel structures to improve treatments for tumours and other medical conditions.

Findings published in Science Advances could improve cancer treatment and potentially improve drug delivery while helping researchers better understand tumours.

Michigan and KCL experts developed a new theory using MRI-based elastography imaging to study how shear waves travel through tissue. By analysing them, researchers are able to measure the architecture of blood vessels non-invasively using readily available clinical imaging devices.

Shear waves store information about the materials they pass through, including tissue stiffness, which can help diagnose diseases.

The method allows researchers to see tiny blood vessels that are usually too small to detect and their experiments demonstrated that blood vessels leave distinct signatures in the wave patterns that can be detected and analysed.

Ralph Sinkus, professor of biomedical engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, KCL, explained the concept of the method: “Imagine trying to kick a football through a forest. If the trees are randomly scattered, the football will bounce around unpredictably. Similarly, waves travelling through tissue will be affected by the arrangement of blood vessels.”

Researchers believe that their research could impact cancer treatment as tumours often cause abnormal blood vessel growth, which is more chaotic than in healthy tissue and could be measured to better understand tumours.

In addition, the research could improve drug delivery as the method could help determine whether they reach the tumour cells or whether they do not have an effect, providing crucial insights into which drugs are best suited for different types of tumours and improving treatment outcomes.

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The new test takes an average of 13 hours to identify the correct treatment compared to several days with current methods

Press release: QuantaMatrix, a clinical microbiology diagnostics company in Seoul, South Korea, has developed an all-in-one antimicrobial testing technology, ‘uRAST (Ultra-Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing), and the findings have been published in the scientific journal Nature.

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition where timely treatment is critical, has a ‘golden hour’ for intervention. Every hour of delay in administering the correct antimicrobial treatment decreases patient survival by 9%, leading to a 30% mortality rate within 30 days.

Traditional antimicrobial testing methods can take days, often too long for effective sepsis treatment. The uRAST technology eliminates the need for the initial blood culture process, providing accurate results within just 13 hours after blood sampling. This enables doctors to prescribe the right antibiotic more quickly and potentially save lives.

“The Nature publication on uRAST highlights its potential to become the new standard in clinical microbiology,” said Sunghoon Kwon, CEO of QuantaMatrix.

uRAST has a 94.9% accuracy rate, aligning closely with existing methods and is also able to detect small quantities of bacteria in the early stages of infection. When tested at Seoul National University Hospital, uRAST reduced the time from positive blood culture results to optimal antimicrobial prescription to an average of 13 hours, compared to current methods that typically take 48-72 hours. This time reduction includes both testing and the often-overlooked waiting periods between different steps in traditional processes.

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New study highlights potential benefits of menopausal hormone therapy

A recent study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that menopausal hormone therapy (HRT) may reduce the risk of psychosis relapse in menopausal women.

The research, led by Bodyl Brand from the University of Oxford, in collaboration with experts from universities in the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden, supports the protective effects of oestrogen on the brain.

The study analysed medical records of 3,488 Finnish women diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (SSD). Researchers compared hospitalisation rates for psychosis during periods when the women were using HRT to periods when they were not.

The findings revealed that HRT use was associated with a 16% lower risk of psychosis relapse in women aged 40-62.

“We found that the use of menopausal hormone therapy was associated with a lower relapse risk for psychosis as compared to non-use and was specifically effective in preventing relapse when started before the age of 56,” said Brand.

Existing evidence indicates that women with SSD experience worsening outcomes as they age, particularly after 45, with increased relapse rates and reduced effectiveness of antipsychotic medications.

Brand emphasised, “Women with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder of menopausal age form an exceptional group which is susceptible to psychosis relapse, but also to side effects of antipsychotic medication. Therefore, it is important to ensure there are appropriate systems, services and support in place to support women in the event of relapse. But, given its potential and safety, continued efforts are also needed to make menopausal hormone therapy more accessible and acceptable in this vulnerable group of women.”

Oestrogen, known for its antioxidant properties, helps the brain adapt and function effectively. Its levels naturally decline during the perimenopause, highlighting the potential benefits of HRT in mitigating psychosis relapse risks.

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Promising results for novel orexin agonist in sleep-deprived volunteers

Nxera Pharma, formerly known as Sosei Group, has announced that its partner, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, has reported encouraging interim results from a Phase 1 clinical trial of ORX750.

The novel orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist was tested in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers.

The trial revealed that ORX750 significantly improved mean sleep latency at doses of 1.0 mg and 2.5 mg, as measured by the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), compared to a placebo. Notably, the 2.5 mg dose restored normative wakefulness with a mean sleep latency of 32 minutes.

Safety and tolerability were also strong points for ORX750, with no frequently reported adverse events typically associated with other OX2R agonists. Additionally, there were no cases of hepatotoxicity or visual disturbances across all tested doses (1.0 mg, 2.0 mg, and 2.5 mg).

Given these promising results, Centessa plans to advance ORX750 into Phase 2 studies targeting patients with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2), and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) starting in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Nxera will update stakeholders on any milestone events that trigger material payments from Centessa.

This development represents a significant advancement in the treatment of sleep-wake disorders, potentially improving the quality of life for those affected by narcolepsy and related conditions.

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The partnership will improve care for patients with pancreatic cancer

myTomorrows, a global health technology company connecting patients with all possible treatment options, has announced a new partnership with Pancreatic Cancer Europe, a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together experts from all over Europe to improve care for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Through the new partnership, Pancreatic Cancer Europe (PCE) will utilise myTomorrows’ database of ongoing clinical trials to equip patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with up-to-date, accessible information about pre-approval treatments that may be relevant to them.

The partnership with the European patient advocacy group and myTomorrows will help to expand access to all possible treatment options for patients suffering from a variety of life-threatening illnesses. For pancreatic cancer patients and HCPs, the partnership will help make the process of identifying and understanding the existing clinical trial options easier.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths, with a life expectancy of only 6-12 months at time of diagnosis and a five-year survival rate of only 10%. The many challenges associated with pancreatic cancer include a lack of awareness about the disease among the public, difficulty in diagnosis, which is late, treatment resistance to chemo and radiation therapy, poor survival rates, and limited treatments. Therefore, it is crucial for patients to be as accurately and thoroughly informed as possible about their treatment options – especially clinical trials, which are often difficult to find, understand and navigate.

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The spread of multiple bacteria could be tracked simultaneously through sequencing method

Using a genomic approach, researchers have developed a way to simultaneously track the spread of multiple common antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals.

Current methods culture and sequence all pathogens separately so the new sequencing technique could help to prevent and manage hospital infections more quickly and effectively.

Published in the Lancet Microbe, the proof-of-concept study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Oslo, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo in Italy and collaborators captured the whole population of pathogenic bacteria found in the gut, upper airways and lungs of patients in multiple hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and ordinary wards during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The team found that, with most ICU patients colonised by several treatment-resistant bacteria and all patients colonised by at least one, they were able to determine which type of bacteria each patient had.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are able to adapt and change over time to find ways to resist the effects of antimicrobial drugs. This makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of serious complications and death.

AMR is classified by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten threats to global public health and resulted in around 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019.

It is hoped that the new approach could be used alongside existing hospital clinical surveillance systems to identify, track and limit the spread of common multiple treatment-resistant bacteria in an effort to reduce drug resistance in hospitals and other clinical settings.

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New treatment could simplify diabetes management for millions

Eli Lilly and Company has announced promising results from two phase 3 clinical trials, QWINT-1 and QWINT-3, evaluating the efficacy of once-weekly insulin efsitora alfa (efsitora) in adults with type 2 diabetes.

The trials demonstrated that efsitora provides a similar reduction in HbA1C levels compared to daily insulin injections.

“Once weekly basal insulins, like efsitora, have the potential to transform diabetes care,” reflected Jeff Emmick, Senior Vice President, Product Development at Lilly. “Many type 2 diabetes patients are reluctant to start insulin because of the burden it places on them. Once-weekly efsitora could potentially make it easier for people with type 2 diabetes to start and manage insulin therapy, while reducing the impact it has on their day-to-day lives.”

In the QWINT-1 study, efsitora was administered via four fixed doses once weekly in a single-use autoinjector to insulin-naïve adults.

The trial met its primary endpoint, showing non-inferior HbA1C reduction compared to daily insulin glargine over 52 weeks. Efsitora reduced HbA1C by 1.31%, resulting in an HbA1C of 6.92%, compared to a 1.27% reduction and an HbA1C of 6.96% for insulin glargine.

The QWINT-3 study evaluated efsitora in adults switching from daily basal insulin injections. Over 78 weeks, efsitora demonstrated non-inferior HbA1C reduction compared to daily insulin degludec, further supporting its potential as a convenient alternative for diabetes management.

These findings suggest that once-weekly efsitora could simplify insulin therapy for people with type 2 diabetes, potentially improving adherence and overall quality of life.

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