First pig kidney transplant patient dies 2 months after procedure

The first living person to receive a kidney from a genetically modified pig tragically passed away, just two months after the groundbreaking transplant. The recipient, Rick Slayman, underwent the procedure due to complications from dialysis, which required frequent hospital admissions.
Slayman viewed the transplant not only as a personal opportunity but also as a source of hope for others in need of organ transplants. His family expressed gratitude for his role in advancing xenotransplantation. Despite Slayman’s optimism upon leaving the hospital after the procedure, his passing has saddened many. The transplant team at Mass General stated that there were no indications linking his death to the recent transplant. They described Slayman as a beacon of hope for transplant patients worldwide and extended heartfelt condolences to his family.

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Organ Transplant NOC forgery case: Fortis Hospital Nephrologist, Urologist held

In connection with a fraudulent case involving the issuance of fake No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for organ transplants, a nephrologist Dr Jitendra Goswami and a urologist Dr Sandeep Gupta of Fortis Hospital have been arrested after police found evidence of their direct involvement.

Police said that the nephrologist of the Fortis Hospital, Jaipur Dr Jitendra Goswami and the urologist Dr Sandeep Gupta have been arrested under sections 419, 420, 471, 370, 120-B of IPC.
For more information click on the link below:

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20 Delhi hospitals receive bomb threats via email

Days after over 150 schools in Delhi-NCR received an identical threat email claiming that explosives had been planted on their premises, triggering massive evacuations and searches before it was declared a hoax, twenty hospitals too received similar threats on Sunday, said officials.

Twenty hospitals, the IGI Airport and the Northern Railways’ CPRO office in Delhi received bomb threats through emails on Sunday, 11 days after similar messages to more than 150 schools in Delhi-NCR sparked a scare of unprecedented scale.
For more information click on the link below:

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76 units of plasma stolen from Jaipur Hospital, Lab technician arrested

Jaipur: In connection with the plasma theft case at the blood bank of the JK Lone Hospital, the Rajasthan police have arrested a lab technician who had allegedly taken out 76 units of plasma. The committee investigated the matter and submited its report in which it was stated that CCTV cameras were not working in the blood bank.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Kavendra Sagar said that Kishan Sahay Kataria, who was working as a lab technician at the blood bank of the JK Lone Hospital, was arrested on Saturday.

Dr Satyendra Choudhary, in-charge of the blood bank, had complained on May 6 that the blood bank’s lab technician Kishan Sahay had allegedly taken out 76 units of plasma.

The lab technician hailed from Hindaun city in Karauli and resided in Pratap Nagar.

Also Read:Pune : Lab Technician arrested for posing as doctor

According to a PTI report, The stolen plasma was allegedly found in his car but he was absconding, officials said.

The state government has removed Dr Satyendra Choudhary from the post in the plasma theft case and put him under APO (awaiting posting orders) status.

As per a media report in the TOI, Preliminary investigations suggest that he intended to supply the plasma to a private hospital in exchange for money, ”said Sudhir Upadhyay, SHO of SMS Hospital police station.

”We will examine his bank accounts and other possessions to ascertain if he profited monetarily from this act. We will probe whether he had previously succeeded in selling plasma to private hospitals. He also worked part-time at a private hospital, said Biju George Joseph, Commissioner of Police.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in an ongoing operation to curb illegal healthcare activities in the state, a joint team of the Haryana chief minister’s flying squad and health department arrested a lab operator and lab technician following a raid at a fake diagnostic lab operating in Nanu Kalan village. 

Also Read:Gurugram illegal hospital sealed, BAMS doctor and lab technician arrested

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Health Bulletin 13/ May/ 2024

Here are the top health news for the day:

Delhi Hospitals on high alert: Bomb threats emerge following school scare

Days after over 150 schools in Delhi-NCR received an identical threat email claiming that explosives had been planted on their premises, triggering massive evacuations and searches before it was declared a hoax, twenty hospitals too received similar threats on Sunday, said officials.
Twenty hospitals, the IGI Airport and the Northern Railways’ CPRO office in Delhi received bomb threats through emails on Sunday, 11 days after similar messages to more than 150 schools in Delhi-NCR sparked a scare of unprecedented scale.
For more information click on the link below:

2 doctors in Jaipur’s private hospital detained for fabricating Organ Transplant NOCs
In connection with a fraudulent case involving the issuance of fake No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for organ transplants, a nephrologist Dr Jitendra Goswami and a urologist Dr Sandeep Gupta of Fortis Hospital have been arrested after police found evidence of their direct involvement.
Police said that the nephrologist of the Fortis Hospital, Jaipur Dr Jitendra Goswami and the urologist Dr Sandeep Gupta have been arrested under sections 419, 420, 471, 370, 120-B of IPC.
For more information click on the link below:

Richard Slayman, the first person to receive a pig kidney, dies two months post-transplant
The first living person to receive a kidney from a genetically modified pig tragically passed away, just two months after the groundbreaking transplant. The recipient, Rick Slayman, underwent the procedure due to complications from dialysis, which required frequent hospital admissions.
Slayman viewed the transplant not only as a personal opportunity but also as a source of hope for others in need of organ transplants. His family expressed gratitude for his role in advancing xenotransplantation. Despite Slayman’s optimism upon leaving the hospital after the procedure, his passing has saddened many. The transplant team at Mass General stated that there were no indications linking his death to the recent transplant. They described Slayman as a beacon of hope for transplant patients worldwide and extended heartfelt condolences to his family.
India’s new dietary guidelines: Limit sugar intake at 5% of daily calories, none for kids under 2
The new dietary guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) recommends no sugar for children under two years old and limiting sugar intake to 5% of daily calories for individuals over two. Another study by ICMR, in collaboration with Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, revealed that one in four Indians is diabetic, pre-diabetic, or obese, largely due to dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles.
Feeding infants and young children with food products containing added sugar has been shown to increase their risk of early childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases later in life, the guidelines stated.

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Inter-state illegal pharma supply, manufacturing network busted by Punjab Police

Amritsar: Punjab Police busted an inter-state network involved in the illegal supply and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, operating out of a pharma factory in Himachal Pradesh, a senior official stated on Saturday

“In a major intelligence-based operation against Pharma Opioids, Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police has busted an interstate network of manufacturing illegal psychotropic substances and supply units running from a pharma factory based in Baddi of Himachal Pradesh, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday,” as per a Punjab Information And Public Relations Department press release.

The development came after the three-month-long meticulous investigations of backward and forward linkages carried out by the Special Task Force, Border Range, Amritsar into the arrest of two drug smugglers identified as Sukhwinder Singh alias Dhami of village Kot Muhammad Khan in Tarn Taran and Jaspreet Singh alias Jass of Govind Nagar in Amritsar, who were arrested after the recovery of 4.24 lakh narcotic tablets/capsules and Rs 1 lakh drug money from Beas in February this year.
“During this entire operation spread across five states, the Police have arrested a total of seven drug smugglers/suppliers and made an effective recovery of 70.42 lakh Intoxicant Tablets/Capsules, 725.5 kg Intoxicant Tramadol Powder and Rs 2.37 lakh drug money. Five states include Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra,” as per the release.
Accoding to ANI report, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following the trail after the arrest of these two drug smugglers, Police teams led by SP STF Vishaljit Singh and DSP STF Vavinder Kumar have managed to trace and arrest the main kingpin of the racket identified as Alex Paliwal from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh after recovering 9.04 lakh Intoxicant Tablets/capsules and Rs 1.37 lakh drug money from his possession.
“He said that following the revelations of accused Alex Paliwal, the operation was then extended to Himachal Pradesh, where Police teams in the presence of Drug Control Officers Sukhdeep Singh and Ramneek Singh have scrutinised Biogenetic Drug Private Limited and seized records showing that the company has manufactured over 20 crore Alprazolam tablets in just eight months,” the release stated.
The records have also traced the supply chain to M/s Aster Pharma in Maharashtra, where further investigative measures led to the exposing Biogenetic Drug Private Limited’s sister pharma manufacturing company Smilex Pharmachem Drug Industries based in Baddi, he added.
“The DGP said that the subsequent operation targeting Smilex Pharmachem Drug Industries yielded a substantial seizure of 47.32 lahks intoxicant capsules and 725.5 kg of Intoxicant Tramadol Powder– sufficient to manufacture 1.5 crore capsules. The records revealed that Smilex Pharmachem Drug Industries purchased 6500 Kg of intoxicant tramadol powder within a year,” as per the release.
He said that the concurrent investigations into transportation and distribution led to the apprehension of individuals including Intezar Salmani, Prince Salmani, Baljinder Singh, and Suba Singh unravelling the intricate web of interstate drug trafficking. Police teams have recovered another chunk of 9.80 lakh intoxicant tablets/capsules from a transportation vehicle near the Chandigarh Railway Station. Further investigations are on and more arrests are expected, he said.
A case had been registered under sections 22-C, 25, 27-A, and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station STF, SAS Nagar.

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NEET Candidates paid up to Rs 50 lakhs for getting Question Papers in Advance: Bihar EOU

Patna: The brokers involved in the NEET paper leak scam took between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh from each of the medical aspirants in exchange of giving them the question paper of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 ahead of the examination on May 5th, 2024, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police has revealed.

EOU has seized several documents, including bank cheques, roll codes of candidates and other papers from the flats of Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand, who were arrested by the Patna Police on May 5.

Investigation into the “paper leak” was handed over to the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police on Friday. An 8-member SIT has been constituted to investigate the alleged paper leak scam of NEET UG. Confirming this, the Additional Director General of EoU, NH Khan informed HT that the unit took up the case after it was revealed that organized gangs, having a history, were involved in the paper leak scandal.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Patna police sources had earlier claimed that the question papers of the NEET-UG exam along with their answers were provided to around 20 aspirants a day before the date of the exam i.e. May 5, 2024. Earlier, 13 people, including four examinees and their family members were arrested for their alleged involvement in the paper leak of the NEET-UG exam. One of the arrested accused is also involved in the Bihar Public Service Commission’s Teachers Recruitment Exam (TRE)-3.

EOU had earlier mentioned in a release that as per the investigation, the question papers of NEET-UG and their answers were provided to around 35 aspirants before the May 5 exam.

Also Read: NEET Paper Leak Scandal Rocks Bihar: Questions-Answers allegedly given to 20 Aspirants Day Before Exam

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, during the interrogation, the arrested aspirants informed the police that around 35 medical aspirants were taken to the Learn Boys Hostel at Ram Krishna Nagar. Commenting on the matter, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), EOU, Manavjit Singh Dhillon told the Daily, “The aspirants confessed that the NEET question paper was similar to the one they received from the broker, a day before the exam.”

“We will contact the National Testing Agency, which conducted the NEET, to provide the details of those students whose roll codes we have got from the flat of the accused. We are verifying all the details,” Dhillon further mentioned.

The probe revealed that the accused Amit Anand runs an education consultancy firm and promises the examinees to help in competitive exams. They approach the candidates and their parents by creating groups on messaging applications. He was alleged in contact with broker Sikander Yadavendu, who is a junior engineer in Danapur Nagar Parishad, and was arrested by the Police before the exam. Later, the accused burned the question papers at the rented flat at Ram Krishna Nagar.

In this regard, the DIG told the Daily, “The aspirants told police that after the accused took them to rented flat, their cellphones were taken so that they cannot contact anyone or tell their friends about the questions. They also dropped the students at their examination centres on their vehicles. We have got the contact number of one of the main accused from the cellphones of the aspirants. He was the one who rented the flat at Ram Krishna Nagar and contacted the aspirants to reach the location. Raids are on to arrest him.”

He further noted that the modus operandi of the alleged paper leak scam of NEET was similar to that of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE)-3.0 paper leak case.

Meanwhile, commenting on the issue, the Additional Director General of EoU, NH Khan told the Hindustan Times, “The probe unit during the investigation found that the gang members hired Learn Boys Hostel and Learn Play School at Khemnichak under Ram Krishna Nagar police station of the state capital to solve the answer paper for two dozen aspirants. When police raided the place, they seized burnt question papers and sent them for forensic examination.”

He further mentioned that the police also recovered admit cards, post-dated cheques, and educational certificates from the accused who were arrested. All the 13 arrested individuals have been sent to judicial custody under sections 407/408/409 and 120b.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Bihar Police had arrested more than two dozen individuals, including 14 impersonators and candidates for cheating in the NEET UG 2024 exam. Among those arrested, an FIR was registered against 14 people, who were accused of impersonating registered candidates during the examination. During the interrogation, the accused known as “solvers” had revealed that Rs 5-10 lakh each was given to several centres by the gang members.

Also Read: NEET 2024 Cheating Scandal: More than 24 culprits including 14 impersonators arrested by Bihar Police

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More than 37,000 Medicos respond to NMC survey, confirm Suffering from Mental Health Issues

New Delhi: The shocking picture concerning the mental health of medical students has come to light as more than 37,000 medical students have submitted applications before the government authority, indicating that they are suffering from mental stress, Live Mint has reported.

Taking cognisance of this, the apex medical education authority has prescribed several measures including regulating the duty hours of the students and initiating a suicide watch. These recommendations by the National Medical Commission (NMC) will be submitted before the Union Health Ministry for further implementation across the medical colleges in the country.

Commenting on this, a government official told the Daily on the condition of anonymity, “We have received more than 37,000 applications from medical students and faculty which itself indicates that doctors are suffering from mental stress. Most of the students face problems in hostels, and during ragging, which we are streamlining. Our education system for primary and secondary classes are reformed, but there is no work regulation for higher education. For PG students, we have directed states to relax seat leaving bond policy of the state government.”

According to NMC data, 153 MBBS and 1120 doctors pursuing PG medical courses dropped out of their institutes in the last five years. Apart from the dropouts, at least 122 medical students, 64 in MBBS and 58 in post-graduate courses died by suicide between 2018 – 2023.

Also Read: 122 Suicides, 1270 Drop-Outs in Last 5 Years: NMC Constitutes National Task Force to address mental health concerns of medicos

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that recently taking cognizance of cases of depression and suicide by medical students, the Anti-Ragging Committee of NMC set up a National Task Force to address the mental health of medicos.

This committee comprised 15 members of the Apex Medical Commission and it was decided that this committee would study the existing literature and data on mental health and suicide of medical students, analyze factors contributing to these challenges, and propose evidence-based strategies for improving mental health and preparatory of suicides. It was announced that this panel might also pay a visit to the colleges where incidents of suicides had been reported.

NMC had announced that the Task Force would submit its final report by 31st May 2024. Initiating the survey, medical students were asked to submit details regarding the mental health illnesses they were suffering from- including their mental health history. Postgraduate medical students were asked to submit the details of their workload, and their overall stress level including their self-care practices. Faculties and administrators of the medical colleges were also asked to share the details of their stress levels at their workplace, extracurricular and wellness workshops conducted at their institutes and other related details concerning the mental health of the medical students.

Also Read: NMC Initiates Online Survey on Mental Health, seeks response from MBBS, PG medicos, Faculties

As per the latest media report by Live Mint, following the overwhelming response to the online survey, NMC, the Apex Medical Regulator has made several suggestions, including gate-keeper programmes as a measure to prevent suicide, identify vulnerable students, and regulate duty hours for post-graduate students. The Commission has also suggested ensuring better student facilities, a friendlier work environment, and round-the-clock professional counselling services.

NMC will submit these recommendations to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare this month to be rolled out across the medical colleges in the country. The committee is currently devising regulations by evaluating and analysing the survey results.

Commenting on the matter, a government official told the Daily on the condition of anonymity, “Some of the universal recommendations which are in discussion include: adjustment support and orientation in medical colleges for new students to understand their role & duties; facilities in the college; ways to cope up with home sickness; awareness campaigns, celebration of world mental health day, world suicide prevention day and drug prevention day; anti-ragging measures will be strengthened; and regulations of duty hours for medical PG students not more than 80 hours a week, which is being followed internationally. Currently, PG students are working as much as 100 hours a week without any break.”

Further mentioning that the efforts are underway to ensure that the work environment is student-friendly for the medical students, the official added, “In addition to it, plans are also in discussion to address concerns of the teachers; strengthening of mentor-mentoring programme. A new initiative—gate-keepers programme—will start to prevent suicide and identify vulnerable students and exclusive 24×7 professionals counselling services will commence to counsel students via government’s tele-manas portal.”

Meanwhile, referring to the instances of suicide by medical student, another official informed, “Every hospital has psychiatric division, but due to stigma students do not report. If a student is under stress, whom he will inform first whether peers or else faculty. Strengthening of anti-ragging and anti-sexual harassment measures. In the last 130 medical students have committed suicide equally both in UG and PG classes. This means—25-26 students take their lives every year.”

Meanwhile, referring to these shocking figures, a psychiatrist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi has called it “the tip of the iceberg”. Dr. Nand Kumar, the Professor of Psychiatric Department at AIIMS told the Daily, “This is just tip of iceberg. The numbers of doctors suffering from mental health illnesses could be much higher. The data itself says that around 70% of doctors feel burnout. They feel lack of interest going to the workplace, lack of pleasure, lack of motivation and lack of communication among the medical community and acceptability is very poor.”

Also Read: World Health Day 2024: NMC launches ‘My Health, My Rights’ Initiative for Medicos

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ICMR funds Rs 2.25 crore to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital for cancer research project

Aligarh: Prof. Mohammad Akram, Chairman of the Department of Radiotherapy at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital (JNMCH), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has been awarded a grant of Rs. 2.25 crores by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The grant is allocated for a four-year research project titled “Characterization of Gut Dysbiosis in Gastrointestinal Malignancies and Exploration of Probiotics Supplementation on Therapeutic Outcome in patients receiving chemoradiation in these malignancies.”

The project, under Prof Akram, aims to investigate the intricate relationship between gut dysbiosis and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including esophageal, colon, and anal canal cancers. Gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in gut microbes, has emerged as a critical factor in the development and progression of various diseases, particularly cancer. Prof Akram emphasised the importance of understanding this connection to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can enhance patient outcomes.

Also read- ICMR Issues New Dietary Guidelines: Warns Against Regular Use of Protein Supplements

The interdisciplinary nature of the project is underscored by the collaboration of co-investigators from diverse backgrounds, including Prof. Saleem Javed (Department of Biochemistry), Prof. Afzal Anees (Department of Surgery), Prof. Fatima Khan (Department of Microbiology), Dr. Ruquiya Afrose (Department of Pathology), and Dr. Hifzur R. Siddique (Department of Zoology). Their collective expertise promises multifaceted insights into gut dysbiosis, cancer progression, molecular mechanisms, clinical interventions, microbiology, immunology, and cancer biology. 

Expressing gratitude to university leadership and collaborators, Prof Akram highlighted the support received in finalising the project. He aims to uncover novel treatment strategies for cancer patients through collaborative research efforts.

The Vice Chancellor of AMU, Prof. Naima Gulrez, lauded Prof. Akram and his team for their endeavour, highlighting its relevance in the current medical landscape. She encouraged faculty members from various departments to pursue similar research initiatives.

Mr. Mohammad Imran IPS, Registrar of AMU, commended Prof. Akram and his team for introducing such an advanced and interdisciplinary project to the university. He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in understanding the microbiome-cancer connection.

Prof. Veena Maheshwari, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Principal, and CMS of JNMC, emphasised the significance of this emerging field in cancer research, which will contribute to building capacity and expertise among young researchers and clinicians.

Prof. Akram highlighted his team’s dedication to furthering research in this area, citing their recent hosting of a three-day conference and workshop centred on exploring the microbiome-cancer connection. With over 250 attendees from across India, the event facilitated collaboration between researchers and clinicians. Prof. Akram also mentioned his ongoing leadership of an ICMR project focusing on probiotics supplementation in patients with head and neck cancer and pelvic cancer over the past two years. Furthermore, he is currently in the midst of writing a book on the microbiome-cancer connection, scheduled for publication later this year. 

Also read- Accelerated Aging May Increase Risk Of Early-Onset Cancers In Younger Generations, States Study

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Medical bulletin 13/ May/ 2024

Here are the top medical news for the day:

Adolescent stress linked to reduced fertility in adulthood- Study
According to research presented at the 26th European Congress of Endocrinology, individuals exposed to moderate and repeated stress during adolescence may have reduced fertility in adulthood.
Th study sheds light on the harmful effects that early-life stress has on health and could help to uncover future prevention strategies for children and adolescents.
During adolescence, stress triggers the release of hormones like cortisol, which can disrupt reproductive processes. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones can impair the development and function of reproductive organs, affecting fertility later in adulthood.
Additionally, chronic stress may disrupt menstrual cycles in females and sperm production in males, further compromising fertility. Moreover, stress-induced changes in behavior and lifestyle, such as poor diet and sleep patterns, can also contribute to fertility issues in adulthood.
In this study, researchers from the V.P. Komisarenko Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the National Academy of Medical Science of Ukraine, examined male and female rats, aged 6 months, after individually placing about half of them in enclosed spaces for one hour every morning for two weeks during adolescence (30–45 days old).
They compared the rats who had been exposed to these stressful conditions to the control group and found that chronic stress during puberty delayed sexual maturity in females, and males gained weight more slowly. In adult males, sperm count fell by 25.9%, some sperm were abnormally shaped and sluggish or became immobile, and the breathing process by which sperm cells derive energy slowed down.
Additionally, males had almost two times lower levels of corticosterone – the main stress hormone in rats, equivalent to cortisol in humans.
“Our work is the first to show that even moderate and repetitive stress in adolescence has a long-lasting negative impact on the endocrine system of reproduction and adaptation of the body to changing living conditions,” said lead investigator, Professor Aleksander Reznikov.
“The results make it possible to predict the development of anomalies in reproduction and bodily adaptation systems and are the basis for finding methods for their prevention. We discovered for the first time that lipid peroxidation- a process in which oxidants, like free radicals attack lipid membranes of cells and eventually damage them- in the ovaries and testes, was significantly increased. This, however, needs further investigation,” he added.
Reference: Chronic stress during adolescence may reduce fertility in adulthood: EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
Is type 2 Diabetes more common in men? Study sheds light
A new research being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) and published in the International Journal of Obesity, explained why type 2 diabetes is more common in men than in women.
Previous research has indicated that men are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a younger age and lower weight compared to women, suggesting a higher overall risk among men. One potential factor contributing to this difference is how adipose tissue responds to insulin.
Adipose tissue, responsible for storing excess energy as triglycerides, is regulated by insulin, which reduces triglyceride breakdown and increases storage. In insulin resistance, adipose cells become less sensitive to insulin, impairing these processes and leading to elevated fat levels in the bloodstream, increasing T2D risk.
If men exhibit more pronounced insulin resistance in adipose cells compared to women, it could explain the higher prevalence of T2D in men.
Lead researcher Dr. Daniel P. Andersson from the Department of Endocrinology at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and his team conducted the study by measuring the adipose insulin resistance index in 2,344 women and 787 men, with an average age of 44 years and a BMI of 35 kg/m².
The results showed that men had higher adipose insulin resistance index values than women, but this difference was observed only among individuals with obesity (BMI 30 kg/m² or higher). This pattern persisted regardless of physical activity level, presence of cardiometabolic disease, and nicotine use.
Additionally, in a subgroup consisting of 259 women and 54 men with obesity, the researchers conducted adipose tissue biopsies to examine the effect of insulin on isolated fat cells.
The findings revealed significant disparities between genders. In men, compared to women, a 10-fold higher insulin concentration was required to inhibit triglyceride breakdown into fatty acids, and this inhibition was less efficient in men. However, the storage capacity of fat cells was similar in both sexes.
“Men with obesity show increased adipose insulin resistance and higher blood levels of free fatty acids compared to women. This is primarily due to insulin’s reduced ability to inhibit fatty acid breakdown in men’s fat cells, rather than differences in storage capacity. Elevated fatty acids in the bloodstream can induce local insulin resistance in organs like the liver, muscles, and pancreas, potentially contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes over time,” explained Dr Andersson.
Reference: Daniel P. Andersson, Department of Endocrinology at Karolinska University Hospital, et al., Do sex differences in how adipose tissue responds to insulin explain why type 2 diabetes is more common in men? :EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY; International Journal of Obesity; MEETING: European Congress on Obesity (ECO2024)
Poor muscle health common in people living with obesity, finds study
New research being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) has found that poor muscle health is associated with a higher risk of an early death in people living with obesity.
Individuals with obesity often experience poor muscle health due to several factors. Excessive adipose tissue accumulation can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, which contributes to muscle insulin resistance and impairs muscle function.
Additionally, increased fat mass can result in mechanical loading on muscles, leading to reduced muscle strength and endurance. Hormonal imbalances associated with obesity, such as elevated levels of adipokines and decreased levels of anabolic hormones, further exacerbate muscle dysfunction.
In their study, lead researcher Dr Jennifer Linge and colleagues utilized software to analyze scans from 56,109 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank study. They assessed muscle volume (indicating muscle quantity) and muscle fat (indicating muscle quality) and calculated personalized muscle volume z-scores to compare participants’ muscle volume to the average for their sex and body size.
Participants were categorized into four groups based on their muscle composition: normal, high muscle fat only, low muscle volume z-score only, or adverse muscle composition (both high muscle fat and low muscle volume z-score).
Among the 9,840 participants with obesity, 2,001 (20.3%) had adverse muscle composition. Over an average follow-up period of 3.9 years, 174 participants died, with the most common causes of death being ischaemic disease and hypertensive disease.
The results showed that participants with adverse muscle composition were three times more likely to die during follow-up than those with normal muscle composition. Even after adjusting for factors such as hand grip strength, other diseases, lifestyle habits, as well as sex, age, type 2 diabetes, and smoking status, the association between poor muscle health and all-cause mortality remained significant. In this fully adjusted model, adverse muscle composition was linked to a 70% higher risk of early death.
The findings revealed that adverse muscle composition was common in individuals living with obesity and significantly associated with all-cause mortality. This emphasized the critical importance of evaluating both muscle volume and muscle fat when assessing muscle health.
Reference: Dr Jennifer Linge AMRA Medical, a health informatics company in Linköping, Sweden. Et al., Poor muscle health is common in people living with obesity – and increases the risk of an early death, Swedish study of people in UK finds; EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY; MEETING: European Congress on Obesity (ECO2024)

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