Medical Bulletin 26/May/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Having Alzheimer’s genes increase your risk of epilepsy

People with a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease may have an increased risk of epilepsy and people with a certain type of epilepsy may have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology.

For the study, researchers looked at gene variation throughout the human genomes of 111,326 people with Alzheimer’s disease, and 677,663 people without the disease through what’s known as a genome-wide association study. Researchers used a study design called Mendelian randomization to determine if there was cause and effect between the genetic variations and the risk of epilepsy.

Reference:

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY, JOURNAL Neurology

Ketamine found to be at least as effective as ECT for treating major depression

A new study led by investigators from Mass General Brigham has found that subanesthetic intravenous ketamine was effective and not inferior to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of non-psychotic, treatment-resistant depression.

The trial was conducted from March 2017 to September 2022 at five sites with 403 patients randomized one-to-one to either receive ECT three times per week or ketamine twice per week for three weeks. Patients were followed for a period of six months after treatment and responded to a depressive symptom self-assessment questionnaire, which also included memory tests and questions about quality of life.

Reference:

Anand, A. et al. “ECT vs. Ketamine for Non-psychotic Treatment-Resistant Major Depression.” New England Journal of Medicine DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2302399

Heavy drinkers risk muscle loss

Heavy drinkers could be putting themselves at risk of muscle loss and frailty in later life, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. A new study published recently shows with statistical modelling that people with the lowest amount of muscle were drinking 10 units or more a day - about a bottle of wine.

Because larger people have more muscle mass, the research team scaled for body size. And they took into account factors such as protein consumption and physical activity. The team say that their findings, mainly in people in their 50s and 60s, suggest another reason to cut back on booze. The team studied data from the UK Biobank - a large-scale database of anonymised lifestyle and health information from half a million people in the UK.

Reference:

Alcohol consumption and measures of sarcopenic muscle risk: cross-sectional and prospective associations within the UK Biobank Study,Calcified Tissue International

Plant-based diets are better for your health and climate

Vegetarian and vegan diets are linked to lower levels of cholesterol and fats in your blood, according to an analysis of all the evidence from randomised trials published since 1982.

The authors of the study, which is published in the European Heart Journal say this means that plant-based diets can play a significant role in reducing blocked arteries, thereby lowering the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, such as stroke and heart attacks.

Reference:

Vegetarian or vegan diets and blood lipids: a meta-analysis of randomized trials,European Heart Journal, DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad211