Medical Bulletin 04/September/2025 - Video

Hepatitis B Vaccine May Lower Diabetes Risk: Study Finds

A new study to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (15–19 September) and published in the journal Diagnostics has found that individuals with hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunity, achieved through vaccination, may have a lower risk of developing diabetes.

The liver plays a central role in glucose metabolism, and HBV infection is believed to impair liver function, disrupting metabolic pathways and increasing the likelihood of abnormal blood sugar levels and diabetes. While HBV vaccination protects against infection, its role in diabetes prevention among uninfected individuals has remained unclear until now.

To explore this, the researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using anonymized electronic medical records from the TriNetX global health research platform. Data were collected from 131 healthcare organizations across the US, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The study included adults aged 18 and above who had hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) test results and no history of HBV infection. Participants were classified as HBV-immunised (HBsAb ≥10 mIU/mL) or unimmunised (HBsAb <10 mIU/mL).

Among over 890,000 individuals, the HBV-immunised group showed a 15% lower risk of developing diabetes compared to the unimmunised group. A dose-response relationship was also observed: individuals with HBsAb levels of 100 mIU/mL and above and 1000 mIU/mL and above had 19% and 43% lower diabetes risks, respectively.

The association between HBV immunity and reduced diabetes risk was stronger in younger individuals compared to middle-aged and older individuals. This finding may be attributed to the natural aging of the immune system, also known as immunosenescence, which leads to diminished vaccine-induced immune responses in older adults.

Geographical variation was also observed. The researchers also suggested a possible behavioural influence: “From a behavioral perspective, individuals who complete vaccination schedules may be more health-conscious and more likely to engage in healthier behaviors, such as maintaining a better diet or exercising regularly. This raises the possibility that health behavior may act as a confounder in the observed association.”

The authors conclude that further studies are needed to confirm these effects and investigate the underlying mechanisms. If validated, the HBV vaccine could become a key tool for the prevention of both infectious and chronic diseases.

Reference: https://www.easd.org/annual-meeting/easd-2025/

Three Minutes, Home Based Test May Help Identify Alzheimer’s Risk Early

A rapid brainwave test may help detect memory problems linked to Alzheimer’s disease long before a formal diagnosis, according to new research published in Brain Communications. Developed by scientists at the University of Bath, the Fastball EEG test identified early memory issues in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that often precedes Alzheimer’s. The findings offer hope for earlier intervention with emerging Alzheimer’s treatments like donanemab and lecanemab.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, affects memory, thinking, and behavior.

The Fastball test is a passive, non-invasive form of electroencephalogram (EEG) that uses small scalp sensors to record brain activity while participants watch a rapid stream of images. In the study, conducted with the University of Bristol, 54 healthy adults and 52 patients with mild cognitive impairment participated. Before the test, they were shown eight images and asked to name them—without being told to memorize them. During the test, hundreds of images flashed on screen, with every fifth one being a repeat from the initial set.

The brain's automatic recognition responses to these repeated images were analyzed. “This shows us that our new passive measure of memory, which we’ve built specifically for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, can be sensitive to those individuals at very high risk but who are not yet diagnosed,” said Dr. George Stothart, lead researcher and cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Bath.

The study found that people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, affecting memory for objects, had weaker brain responses to familiar images compared to healthy individuals and those with non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment. People with amnestic mild cognitive impairment are at significantly higher risk of progressing to Alzheimer’s.

All tests were performed in participants' homes, which “was important for making them accessible and reducing people’s anxiety,” said Stothart. While the test cannot yet predict who will definitely develop Alzheimer’s, experts believe it is a promising step forward.

Reference: George Stothart, Sophie Alderman, Oliver Hermann, Sam Creavin, Elizabeth J Coulthard, A passive and objective measure of recognition memory in mild cognitive impairment using Fastball memory assessment, Brain Communications, Volume 7, Issue 5, 2025, fcaf279, https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf279

Weight Loss Drugs May Lower Risk of Heart Failure Hospitalization and Death by 40%: Study

A new large-scale study published in JAMA and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress reveals that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) targeting medications—specifically semaglutide and tirzepatide may significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The research, conducted by a team from Mass General Brigham, analyzed real-world data from over 90,000 patients, marking the most comprehensive evaluation of these drugs for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction to date.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is the most common form of heart failure, particularly among individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes, yet effective treatment options remain limited. While semaglutide and tirzepatide are widely recognized for their benefits in weight loss and blood sugar control, their impact on serious heart failure outcomes had not been extensively studied in large populations—until now.

To bridge this gap, researchers led by Dr. Nils Krüger used data from three major U.S. insurance claims databases. They emulated two previous placebo-controlled trials of GLP-1 drugs but expanded their study cohorts to include populations up to 19 times larger, making the findings more reflective of patients seen in everyday clinical practice. The analysis compared new users of semaglutide and tirzepatide to users of sitagliptin, a diabetes medication known not to affect heart failure outcomes.

The study found that patients taking either GLP-1 drug experienced more than a 40% reduction in the risk of heart failure hospitalization or all-cause mortality compared to those taking sitagliptin. Both drugs demonstrated similar effectiveness and maintained acceptable safety profiles.

In conclusion, Krüger noted, “By using nationwide data and an innovative methodological approach, our team was able to expand the findings of previous trials to larger populations more representative of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients treated in clinical practice. Our findings show that in the future, GLP-1 targeting medications could provide a much-needed treatment option for patients with heart failure.”

Reference: Krüger N, Schneeweiss S, Fuse K, et al. Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. JAMA. Published online August 31, 2025. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.14092