Medical Bulletin 29/August/2022

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Potential threats to heart health due to extreme weather

The analysis included 2.28 million adults from five cohort studies conducted in Italy, Germany, the UK, Norway, and Sweden between 1994 and 2010. Participants with and without cardiovascular disease at baseline were included. Data on mortality and new-onset disease were collected through death and disease registries and follow-up surveys. Daily average air temperatures at participants' home addresses were collected from local weather stations or estimated using modeling of temperature data from weather stations.

The analysis found increased risks of death from cardiovascular disease overall and ischaemic heart disease in particular, as well as an elevated risk of new-onset ischaemic heart disease, associated with cold weather. With an approximately 10°C temperature drop, from 5°C to -5°C, there was a 19% greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease. There was a 4% higher risk of new-onset ischaemic heart disease associated with an approximately 11°C temperature drop, from 2°C to -9°C

Ref:

Professor Stefan Agewall, ESC Congress 2022

Worsened impact of heart attacks among heavy smokers

The risk of death or poor prognosis after a heart attack is more than 20-fold higher in smokers with exhaled carbon monoxide levels above 13 ppm, indicating heavy smoking and inhalation of smoke. That's the finding of late-breaking research presented at ESC Congress 2022.

During a two-week period in April 2021, expiratory carbon monoxide was measured within two hours of admission in all consecutive adults hospitalized for acute cardiac events in 39 intensive cardiac care units (ICCU) in France. A total of 1,379 patients were studied.

Ref:

Professor Patrick Henry et al, ESC Congress 2022

Brain region responsible for effortful helping behavior

The research, published in Current Biology, shows that effortful altruistic behaviour –choices people make that help others – takes place in a different part of the brain from that used to make physically demanding choices that help oneself.The area identified, called the anterior cingulate cortex gyrus (ACCg), is located towards the front of the brain. It is known to play a role in social behaviour, but has not previously been linked to putting in effort to help others.

Interestingly, the researchers found that the ACCg is not activated when individuals make effortful decisions that only benefit themselves. In the study, the researchers worked with 38 participants aged between 18 and 35. All participants were each asked to take part in a effortful decision-making task and to complete a questionnaire to self-assess their empathy levels.The participants made decisions while undergoing a functional MRI scan. This identifies different areas of the brain which are activated while people made decisions to either "work" or "rest" to help themselves or someone else. If they chose the work option, they had to squeeze a device that measured their grip strength.

Ref:

Dr Patricia Lockwood et al,Distinct neural representations for prosocial and self-benefitting effort,Current Biology,10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.010

Maternal fat metabolism and fetal abdominal growth may affect child weight and adiposity

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Oxford in collaboration with the University of California in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology identifies, as early as the 5th month of pregnancy, patterns of fetal abdominal growth associated with maternal lipid metabolites that track newborn growth, adiposity and development into childhood. These fetal growth patterns are also associated with blood flow and nutrient transfer by the placenta, demonstrating a complex interaction between maternal and fetal nutrition early in pregnancy that influences postnatal weight and eventually adult health.

The researchers monitored the growth inside the womb of over 3,500 babies in six countries using serial fetal ultrasound scans throughout pregnancy, and analysed blood samples taken from the women early in pregnancy and from the umbilical cord at birth. They then monitored the growth and development of the infants until 2 years of age.

Ref:

José Villar et al,''Fetal abdominal growth trajectories, associated with maternal metabolite signatures early in pregnancy, are footprints for childhood growth and adiposity' , Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00215-7