Medical Bulletin 16/December/2022 - Video

Published On 2022-12-16T14:30:01+05:30 | Updated On 16 Dec 2022 2:30 PM IST

Overview

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Antibiotic resistance may be overcome by mapping E.coli

Have you ever felt queasy after eating an undercooked burger? Or when leftovers from yesterday's dinner were left out of the fridge a bit too long? There are many different kinds of food poisoning, but one common cause is the growth of bacteria such as E. coli. Most cases of E. coli, though unpleasant, can be managed at home with rest and rehydration. However, in some instances, it can lead to life-threatening infections. If you have a bacterial infection, antibiotic medication can be a powerful and effective treatment. But antibiotic resistance, the ability of bacteria to become strong enough that it does not respond to the medication, is a serious global concern. If antibiotics are no longer effective, then we will once again be at risk of serious illness from small injuries and common ailments.

Reference:

Junichiro Iwasawa, Tomoya Maeda, Atsushi Shibai, Hazuki Kotani, Masako Kawada, Chikara Furusawa "Analysis of the evolution of resistance to multiple antibiotics enables prediction of the Escherichia coli phenotype-based fitness landscape". PLoS Biology. 2022; 20(12): e3001920. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001920.

Antiviral drug nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir effective in reducing COVID-19 hospitalization among vaccinated adults 50 and over

The results of recent clinical trial, now published in Annals of Internal Medicine, suggest that the antiviral drug nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid) can offer a substantial benefit even to vaccinated patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the outpatient setting, and can contribute to ongoing efforts to reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations during a projected winter surge.

The antiviral drug was granted Emergency Use Authorization for treating COVID-19 in December 2021. In clinical trials, the antiviral was associated with an 88% reduction in hospitalization or death among high-risk, unvaccinated individuals with COVID-19.

Reference:

Dryden-Peterson, S et al. "Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir for early COVID-19 in a large US health system" Annals of Internal Medicine DOI: 10.7326/M22-2141

Study finds, light therapy to relieve fatigue syndrome in Multiple Sclerosis

In a recent scientific study, a research group led by Stefan Seidel from the Department of Neurology at MedUni Vienna and AKH Vienna identified light therapy as a promising non-drug treatment option: patients included in the study showed a measurable improvement after just 14 days of use. The study results were recently published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal -Experimental, Translational and Clinical.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is almost always accompanied by fatigue, a massive tiredness that is described by the vast majority of patients as the most distressing symptom.

Reference:

Bright light therapy as a non-pharmacological treatment option for multiple sclerosis-related fatigue: A randomised sham-controlled trial,Multiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental Translational and Clinical, DOI: 10.1177/20552173221133262

Treatment-resistant depression patients at higher risk of death

Depression is the leading cause of functional disability the world over. The most common treatments are antidepressants or psychotherapy. Many sufferers need care for months or years, but a significant share of patients never recover despite two well-implemented treatment attempts. They have what is commonly called treatment resistant depression.   

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the Centre for Psychiatric Research have now examined the effects of treatment resistant depression in Region Stockholm at both an individual and societal level, something that has not been studied to the same extent previously.  

Reference:

"Treatment resistant depression: epidemiology, consequences, and associations ‐ a population‐wide study," Johan Lundberg, Thomas Cars, Sven-Åke Lööv, Jonas Söderling, Johan Sundström, Jari Tiihonen, Amy Leval, Anna Gannedahl, Carl Björkholm, Mikael Själin, Clara Hellner, JAMA Psychiatry, online 14 of December 2022, doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.3860 

Speakers

Isra Zaman

B.Sc Life Sciences, M.Sc Biotechnology, B.Ed

Isra Zaman is a Life Science graduate from Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, and a postgraduate in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a flair for writing, and her roles at Medicaldialogues include that of a Sr. content writer and a medical correspondent. Her news pieces cover recent discoveries and updates from the health and medicine sector. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.