Medical Bulletin 10/November/2022

Tuberculosis and pneumonia are potentially serious infections which mainly affect the lungs-often require a combination of different diagnostic tests,- such as CT scans, blood tests, X-rays, and ultrasounds. These tests can be expensive, with often lengthy waiting times for results.

Pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) which automatically diagnoses lung diseases-such as tuberculosis and pneumonia could ease winter pressures on hospitals, University of the West of Scotland researchers believe.

Reference:

Artificial intelligence could help ease strain on hospitals; UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND, JOURNAL: Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2022.107141

Cholesterol and diabetes drugs may lessen risk of degenerative eye disease of ageing

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe visual impairment among older people in high-income countries. In Europe alone, 67 million people currently have the condition, with new cases projected to soar over the next few decades as populations age.

Regular use of drugs to lower cholesterol and control type 2 diabetes may lessen the risk of the degenerative eye disease associated with ageing, known as age related macular degeneration, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Reference:

Cholesterol and diabetes drugs may lessen risk of degenerative eye disease of ageing; BMJ British Journal of Ophthalmology, DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2022-321985.

Oral ENT-01 safe, significantly improves constipation in persons with Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by accumulation of a-synuclein (aS) in the enteric (ENS) and central nervous system (CNS). In addition to motor symptoms, persons with Parkinson disease may experience constipation, disturbances in sleep architecture, cognitive dysfunction, psychosis, and depression, all of which result from impaired function of neural pathways not restored by replacement of dopamine.

A randomized controlled trial of 150 persons with Parkinson disease has found that (oral squalamine phosphate) ENT-01 is safe for up to 25 days of treatment and significantly improves constipation and possibly neurological symptoms. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Reference:

Oral ENT-01 safe, significantly improves constipation in persons with Parkinson disease; Annals of Internal Medicine; DOI: 10.7326/M22-1452

New drug can successfully treat patients typically resistant to high blood pressure treatment

High blood pressure is the main cause of strokes, and a common cause of heart attacks and kidney failure. In most people with the condition, the cause is unknown, and they need life-long treatment through drugs w ho eventually become resistant to it.

A new drug called Baxdrostat has been shown to significantly reduce high blood pressure (hypertension) in patients who may not respond to current treatments for the condition, according to results from a phase II trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions conference, the trial results represent the first time that this long-sought new class of drugs to treat resistant hypertension has been developed and successfully tested.

Reference:

New drug can successfully treat patients typically resistant to high blood pressure treatment; New England Journal of Medicine.