Medical Bulletin 8/May/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Features of Long COVID neurological symptoms identified

Twelve people with persistent neurological symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection were intensely studied at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and were found to have differences in their immune cell profiles and autonomic dysfunction. These data inform future studies to help explain persistent neurological symptoms in Long COVID.

People with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), which includes Long COVID, have a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, headaches, sleep disturbances, and “brain fog,” or cognitive impairment. Such symptoms can last for months or longer after an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Reference:

Mina, Y., et al. Deep Phenotyping of Neurologic Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.. Neurology-Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation. May 5, 2023. DOI: 10.1212/nxi.0000000000200097.

New insights into post-vaccine heart inflammation cases

When new COVID-19 vaccines were first administered two years ago, public health officials found an increase in cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, particularly among young males who had been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines. It was unclear, however, what exactly was causing this reaction. In a new study, Yale scientists have identified the immune signature of these heart inflammation cases.

These findings rule out some of the theorized causes of heart inflammation and suggest potential ways to further reduce the incidence of a still rare side effect of vaccination, the authors say.

Reference:

Cytokinopathy with aberrant cytotoxic lymphocytes and pro-fibrotic myeloid response in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis,Science Immunology, DOI 10.1126/sciimmunol.adh3455

Mobile phone calls and increased risk of high bp linked in new study

Almost three-quarters of the global population aged 10 and over own a mobile phone. Nearly 1.3 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years worldwide have high blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke and a leading cause of premature death globally. Mobile phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy, which has been linked with rises in blood pressure after short-term exposure. Results of previous studies on mobile phone use and blood pressure were inconsistent, potentially because they included calls, texts, gaming, and so on.

Talking on a mobile for 30 minutes or more per week is linked with a 12% increased risk of high blood pressure compared with less than 30 minutes, according to research published today in European Heart Journal - Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

Reference:

European Heart Journal - Digital Health, DOI 10.1093/ehjdh/ztad024.